The denial of forest clearance by the Central government last week for the construction of the inter-State Lower Penganga Project has put the Maharashtra government in trouble. The project is located at Chikhaldhara in the adjacent Yavatmal district in Maharashtra. Pending statutory forest clearance, the Maharashtra government had finalised the Rs 82 crore tenders for the project's spillway, called during March 2002. The tender was reportedly bagged by Maducon Construction Company, Hyderabad at 43.7 per cent excess rates.