Maharashtra House adjourned over Chitale committee report

The Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned for the day after vociferous opposition members stalled proceedings, insisting that the government discuss the Madhav Chitale Committee Report on the probed into the alleged irrigation scam.
Soon after question hour, Leader of Opposition Vinod Tawde (BJP) sought a discussion on the report under Rule 289 of the House.
"We apprehend that the state government will table the action taken report (ATR) on the report, on the last day of the ongoing session in order to avoid a discussion," Tawde said.
However, Legislative Council Chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh rejected the demand for a debate on the Chitale report.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the ATR would be tabled before the session ends. The ATR is ready but has to be approved by the cabinet before it is tabled in the House, Pawar said.
Pointing out that it has been several days since the Chitale report was submitted, opposition members wondered why the ATR wasn't approved in any of the cabinet meetings so far.

They shouted slogans demanding a debate on the report after which the chairman adjourned the House for 40 minutes.
When procedings resumed, opposition members continued slogan shouting, after which the House was adjourned for the day.

The Chitale panel had submitted its report to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithvraj Chavan earlier this year.
The report has been compiled after poring over "thousands of documents" for over 14 months by Madhav Chitale, a water management expert, who was appointed by the state government in December 2012 to examine the alleged irregularities in the water resources department, controlled by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).