AIADMK man behind shoddy drain works in Vellore: Duraimurugan

Vellore: The person who was given the contract to undertake various works in Vellore city was an AIADMK supporter who had no experience in contract works and that was the reason why roads were laid without vehicles and other implements on it not being removed, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Thursday.

Interacting with reporters after participating in a function to create awareness about alcohol and drug abuse at Nethaji stadium, the Minister while replying to a question said that people, who were vegetable vendors and lacking experience in road works were being given contract of major works.

Missing borewell located

Meanwhile, Vellore Corporation officials located the borewell over which a road was laid in Ilango Street in ward 46 in Salavanpet on Thursday. Revealing this, BJP government relations wing. Vellore district president VSC Venketesan said Corporation officials dug up the newly laid road and exposed the PVC pipe connected to the motor and covered it with a brick. When asked about the motor, he said the submersible motor must be still inside, “but as Minister Duraimurugan was expected to visit a location with a similar issue nearby we are waiting for the visit to be over to contact both local residents and officials about what they planned to do next with the borewell.”

Contractor arrested for building drainage channel imbedding hand pump

Also, a contractor who constructed a drainage channel without removing a hand pump in use was arrested by Sathuvachary police on Thursday. The arrest follows Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan stating that action would be initiated against the contractors for shoddy works.

The video and pictures of hand pump enmeshed in the concrete drain channel at Vijayaraghavapuram II Street in ward 19 went viral on social media resulting in officials removing the hand pump on Wednesday. Based on this, the contract with Surendra Babu of Vellore’s Kalaspalayam was cancelled, while top Corporation officials have sought an explanation from Zone II Engineer Selvaraj. When zone II AC in charge Senthil Kumar complained to Sathuvachary police on this, the latter arrested Surendra Babu on Thursday while further investigations are on.