COIMBATORE: Minister of Municipal Administration KN Nehru said action will be taken against those involved in corruption and embezzlement of funds in the Coimbatore Smart City Projects. The government was awaiting a report from retired IAS officer PWX Davidar who conducted an inspection in the city recently, the minister added.
Minister Nehru along with Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V Senthil Balaji inaugurated 9 projects completed for Rs 5.59 crore and laid foundation stones for a total of 263 new projects at Rs 49.62 crore in Coimbatore at the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) office premises.
Ministers KN Nehru and Senthil Balaji, with CCMC officials, inspected the Smart City project works in Valankulam. Nehru instructed officials to expedite work. Later, the ministers inspected other works under the Smart City Mission across water bodies and drains in the city.
"A case has been registered against those involved in the scam in the CCMC. Action will be taken against the officials and the contractors in this regard. Also, the one-man commission has been investigating the corruption, irregularities and embezzlement of funds in the Coimbatore Smart City Projects. After receiving the report, we shall take necessary action against everyone involved," Nehru said.
Addressing reporters, Nehru said, "Various works including sewerage, drinking water facility and garbage disposal are ongoing in the corporations across Tamil Nadu for an estimated Rs 24,000 crore. Pillur scheme 3 drinking water project in Coimbatore Corporation areas will be implemented at a cost of Rs 750 crore. The scheme 3 works will be completed in one year."
"As per the agreement, around 90 MLD of water must be supplied to the CCMC from the Siruvani dam daily. But the Kerala officials supply only about 20 MLD. Tamil Nadu CM has already written to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to sort this out, but no action was taken. We will not file any case but will send our TN officials to hold talks with their Kerala counterpart over this."
"Bio-mining work is going on in full swing to clear the non-biodegradable wastes in the Vellalore dump yard. So far, 16 acres of garbage has been cleared. Steps are taken to find a permanent solution to the Vellalore dump yard problem."
"Further, works to set up plants like in Mumbai to generate electricity from the garbage in Coimbatore, Madurai and Chennai. The Rs 591.44-crore UGD project and Rs 20.50-crore Namaku Namae project works are being implemented in the city."
The ministers also inaugurated the work for a Knowledge and Study Centre at the Aadis street in the CCMC for roughly Rs 2.50 crore and laid foundation stones for the 24x7 drinking water supply scheme at Revathy Nagar in Vadavalli. A photo exhibition was inaugurated at the CCMC head office regarding the DMK government's one-year achievement and a book on the same was unveiled.