Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Selvaperunthagai has triggered a major controversy after accusing the Water Resources Department (WRD) of caste-based favoritism and administrative irregularities. It is noteworthy that Duraimurugan is the DMK minister of Water Resources department in Tamil Nadu.
His remarks came after he was not invited to the opening ceremony of the Chembarambakkam dam, an event overseen by the department.
Selvaperunthagai alleged that caste considerations dominate postings within the WRD and referred to the presence of “a scoundrel” in the department who, he claimed, influences appointments and operations. The comments have sparked a political storm, prompting scrutiny of recent transfers and promotions within the department.
According to a report by ABP Nadu, several senior engineers expressed discontent over alleged violations of norms in recent appointments. They pointed to two key figures within the department; one said to be close to Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan, and another, Selvakumar, who was recently appointed as Superintending Engineer of the Palar Basin Circle in Chennai.
Selvakumar was promoted under G.O. (2D) No.15 (Water Resources A1 Dept) issued on 2 May 2025 but reportedly declined a subsequent posting as Joint Chief Engineer and went on leave for four months. Despite refusing the higher office position, he was later appointed to his preferred field post as Superintending Engineer through G.O. (D) No.143 (Water Resources A2 Dept) dated 16 October 2025.
Department insiders allege that the appointment was made with direct intervention from Minister Durai Murugan and Water Resources Department Secretary Jayakanthan, bypassing procedural rules. Senior engineers have voiced concern that key positions, including the Chennai Zonal Chief Engineer, Palar Basin Circle Monitoring Engineer, and Kanchipuram Executive Engineer — are being filled by individuals from the same caste, allegedly undermining transparency and departmental fairness.
Sources said that lucrative projects worth nearly ₹14,000 crore including JICA-assisted initiatives and a proposed new dam near Thiruporur fall under the Palar region, leading to speculation that trusted officers have been strategically placed in charge of these projects.
Selvaperunthagai’s supporters argue that his exclusion from the Chembarambakkam event was deliberate, reflecting caste bias against him as a Scheduled Caste leader. They also claim that the dominance of one community in high-ranking WRD positions contradicts the state government’s commitment to social justice.
Responding to the controversy, Department Secretary Jayakanthan, IAS, said that Selvakumar had cited health reasons for declining his earlier posting and was reassigned to the Palar Basin Circle accordingly. He did not respond to other allegations raised about the appointment process.
Senior engineers have urged the Chief Secretary and higher authorities to review the matter, warning that the issue could cause embarrassment to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the DMK government if left unaddressed. Selvaperunthagai is said to have discussed the matter directly with the Chief Minister.
(Source: ABPLive Tamil)
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