Substandard borewell work under scanner

The DVAC cited assistant engineers M Periyasamy and M Poompavai, and contractors M Mahendran, S Samraj, P Govindasamy and V Raji as suspects in the corruption case in Tamil Nadu Village Habitants Improvement (THAI) scheme they executed in six villages in Krishnagiri Panchayat union in 2015-16.

The scheme was launched to provide minimum basic infrastructure facility to all villages and to improve the quality of life in rural areas by providing protected drinking water, sanitation, health facilities, quality education, all-weather roads, etc.

An FIR was registered against them under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act after finding that the work on digging borewells in Kondepalli, ThanAmpatti Melur, Balaguri Thirupathikottai, Balaguri Melkottai, Balingnur and Bellampalli villages were substandard.

The suspects allegedly executed the works in a substandard manner with dishonest intention to siphon off funds. They used false bills towards the purchase of accessories and misappropriated funds to the tune of Rs 9.82 lakh by falsifying the accounts, the DVAC said in the FIR.