Mumbai, Nov 22 : The Bombay High Court was informed by the Maharashtra Government on Thursday that it would come out with a White Paper on the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam within three weeks.

The scam, which led to resignation of state Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, also involves bureaucrats of Water Resources Department and the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC).

State Advocate General Darius Khambata told a two-judge division bench of the high court comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Mridula Bhatkar that the state government would file an affidavit before the court based on the findings of the White Paper.

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Pravin Wategaonkar seeking a CBI inquiry into the scam.

The court directed the state government to file its reply by December 20.

The petition claims that the Maharashtra Government has illegally spent Rs. 70,000 crores on irrigation projects, and has demanded an explanation for the unwarranted cost escalations and arbitrariness with which these projects have been sanctioned. (ANI)