CHENNAI: Acting on TNIE report, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board on Saturday issued memos to linemen who demanded bribe from residents for repair works. Residents from Ayyappanthangal had complained that the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) works in their area were not being carried out scientifically.
They said the workmen had been carelessly digging pits to lay water pipelines and were damaging the EB wires in the process. Jal Jeevan Mission is a Central scheme that proposes to offer 55 litres of water per day per household by 2024.
When the residents contacted the linemen’s helpline, they had demanded a bribe of `4,500. However, when TNIE contacted EB officials, they said the public need not pay for the wires on the road. “The residents need to pay only if EB wires inside their homes are damaged. Anything on the road, the government bears the cost. The local officials immediately spoke to the linemen and sorted out the issue,” said a Tangedco official.
Senthil Kumar, one of the residents, said the officials had visited their home and returned the bribe amount. “Also, the linemen were issued a memo seeking an explanation within the next three days. We are very happy about the quick action,” he said.