Maha govt suspends 4 PWD staffers over party at Ojhar airport

Maharashtra government has suspended four PWD employees in connection with a farewell party organised on the premises of the airport building at Ojhar in Nashik district, which comprised free flowing liquor, dance and loud music.
"We have suspended four PWD staffers," Public Works Department minister Chandrakant Patil told PTI.
Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), Anand Kulkarni said that action over the airport party issue was taken as per rules.
The party had been organised in the last week of January by Vilas Birari, director of Harsh Construction and president of Builders' Association of India, Nashik branch, to bid farewell to the PWD superintendent engineer on his retirement, for which officials of the PWD and members of the builders' fraternity were invited.

However, the party was objected to by the villagers of Janori adjacent to the airport. The local MP had taken cognisance of the matter reported to him and Nashik rural police conducted a suo moto inquiry. Birari was later arrested, and released on bail.
While the organisers said they had taken due permissions from the PWD for the venue and from the excise department for the use of liquor, the police took statements of all concerned and found violations under the Maharashtra Police Act and subsequently, under Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1995, under which the police action was taken.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had also asked for reports in this case. The matter was under scrutiny and that defaulters would be punished, Fadnavis had said at Nashik recently.