CHENNAI: Following an Express’ report on tender discrepancies in Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat’s Rs 5 crore cut-and-cover project, Panchayat officials allegedly resorted to intimidating residents who demanded a work order from the contractor on Saturday.
An engineer is alleged to have snatched the phone of a resident who was videographing the confrontation. While residents filed a case of mobile snatching against the engineer, officials filed a case against residents alleging the latter had not allowed them to discharge their duties. Two residents were detained by police.
Noticing workers digging a stretch of Sethunarayanan street, which has been marked for the cut-and-cover project, residents asked the contractor for the work order. The contractor instead called officials to the spot. “The contractor said that he would show us the work order on Friday but didn’t turn up,” said R Balachandran, a member of local activist group Chitlapakkam Rising, stating that they did not try to forcibly stop work.
Residents claimed Panchayat executive officer and Assistant Executive Engineer arrived and told the contractor not to worry about showing the work order.
“I wanted to record these high-handed statements,” said B Sivakumar, also a member of the Chitlapakkam Rising.
Sivakumar’s phone was allegedly snatched by AEE Manoharan. Both parties registered complaints against each other at the Chitlapakkam police station. Residents refused to withdraw their complaint against Manoharan. Around 9 pm, Balachandran and Kumar, another resident was held.