Fresh row over ‘water through tractor’ service in Pernambut

Tharian Mathew vellore: The problem started when Nandakumar, who oversees the functioning of the municipality in the absence of Commissioner Sathyanathan, told this reporter that water was provided to a minimum of five houses through tractors by the contractor, who got his supply from a private well near the town’s dried up headwork at Madinapalli, which is seven kilometres away.

“We have asked tractor drivers to get the signature of the person who requested the water load and also to take a photo through their mobile cameras as proof of delivery” he said.

Elaborating, he added, “We respond to calls on the toll-free number given to the public and supply a maximum of eight loads if we operate till 10pm.” Asked what the civic body’s three tractors were used for he said, “They are used to provide water to government offices including the government hospital, taluk office and to residents in the uphill of Tharakaadu locality.”

But town Congress committee president G Suresh Kumar who printed and distributed pamphlets with details of the tender amount and anticipated loads for each ward said this was totally untrue. “We printed the toll-free number in the pamphlet as the local body has not issued this number till date.

When residents call the number, they are refused water and told to contact the person who printed the pamphlet if they want water,” he added.

Consumers welfare protection society of Pernambut president T Basheeruddin said he had sought details of the tender including the contractor and the number of loads they delivered daily.

“However, I am yet to get the details though I approached the Commissioner himself,” he added. “The claim that they supply water on demand is not true,” he added. “Suresh Kumar’s notice stated that each ward should get 238 loads totally and called on the public in each ward to ensure they received their due,” said former Counsellor Meeranji Saleem.

“When public who are refused water by calling the toll-free number inform Suresh Kumar about this, he gives them the phone numbers of the Vellore based RDMA (Regional Director of Municipal Administration) and the collector to ensure that complaints reached higher authorities” says former councillor C Abdul Hakeem.