KOCHI: The Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Thursday unearthed corruption in the laying of water pipeline between Elamkulam and Vyttila, by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), without completing the tender process.
VACB officials located the pipeline with the help of an earth-mover and have decided to launch a probe against the KWA Executive Engineer and Assistant Executive Engineer, on the basis of their findings.
According to A D Balasubramaniam, DySP, VACB (Kochi), the KWA had launched the work on the 336-metre stretch between Elamkulam and Vyttila for relaying the pipeline as part of the Metro Rail project. “As part of the Metro project, the KWA was asked to lay a 370-mm pipeline on both sides of the road. They had invited bids for this purpose and the tender was awarded to a party. However, before the company could start the work, the KWA ordered another party to lay a 160-mm pipeline on the same stretch without calling any tender. We suspect graft in the entire matter.
The KWA unnecessarily laid an extra pipeline which caused loss to the exchequer,” he said.
Following a tip-off, VACB officials removed the earth and identified the pipeline which was laid without completing the tender process.
“It is the Executive Engineer and Assistant Executive Engineer who supervise the tender activities. It might be with their knowledge that the work was carried out. Only after taking their statement would it be decided whether a case needs to be registered or departmental action needs to be taken against the officials,” Balasubramaniam said.