Nagpur: Amidst mounting pressure and demand, water conservation minister Ram Shinde on Thursday placed two engineers attached with a Zila Parishad in Pune under suspension, and blacklisted the contractor who constructed a natural lake in Pune.

During the question hour, MLA Sangram Thopte and others HAD raised the issue of bursting of Pazar Talao (natural lake) in Nigde taluka of the Welhe district in Pune and thereby affecting the standing crop up to 1.5 km distance in July this year. Mr Thopte and others said an estimated Rs 10 crore damage was done including the lake and crop.

The Members demanded that due to poor quality of construction, the contractor should be put in the blacklist and the executive engineer and the assistant engineer responsible for supervision and quality control be suspended.

Initially the minister looked reluctant but after group leader Ajit Pawar criticised saying the guilty should be punished, Mr Shinde announced suspension and black listing of the contractor.