CHENNAI: Chennai Metropolitan Water supply and Sewerage conducted a board meeting with all its executives and staff members on July 16, which is after a long gap of nearly two and a half years. The meeting was conducted after an anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, raised a complaint about such irregularities. According to the norm, the board should convene a meeting every once in three months but the RTI reply showed that this was not being followed.
“Two months ago we found that the board met only thrice since 2014. After we questioned minister SP Velumani about this he falsely claimed that such meetings are regularly held. Once we complained about the irregularity, they held a meeting last month,” said Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of the NGO.
The RTI reply from the metro water board said that the 331st board meeting was held on July 16. Prior to this, the board met only thrice since 2014 — on August 28 2014, 21 April 2015 and 23 February 2016.
“Such board meetings give all officials a chance to raise certain queries concerning their department. When these do not take place as scheduled, public issues do not get a joint solution. Lack of coordination and corruption are the main reason behind their inactivity,” he added.Even after repeated calls, metro water officials were unable for a comment.