The Tamil Nadu police have registered a case against a youth in Tiruvannamalai district who released a video on social media about irregularities in the laying of drinking water tap connections.
Tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission were laid and inaugurated a few days ago in Indravanam village of Sethupattu block in Tiruvannamalai district.
On 21 November 2022, a youngster named Murali Krishnan had released a video in which he exposed the irregularities in the laying of the pipes.
In the video, the outlet pipe can be seen just fixed to the ground without any pipeline underneath. He had alleged that authorities have given completion certificate and accounted ₹3.69 lakh for this incomplete work done.
According to a report by Puthiya Thalaimurai, the work for giving tap water connections to all the houses in the village commenced a fortnight ago. The report said they (Puthiya Thalaimurai) had received information that drinking water pipes were installed at 104 places but however it was found that outlet pipes were installed for namesake in more than 50 places.
It is alleged that a department officials were bribed to give the completion certificate for the incomplete work done.
Meanwhile, the incident gained traction with the video being shared by AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan and even broadcasted in Jaya Plus news channel.
வீட்டுக்கு குடிநீர் திராவிட மாடல்? திருவண்ணாமலை மாவட்டம், சேத்துப்பட்டு வட்டம், இந்திரவனம் கிராமம். விஞ்ஞான ஊழல்வாதி வழியில் ரூ4000 கோடி சென்னை மழைநீர் வடிகால் ஊழலை தொடர்ந்து திருவண்ணாமலையில். @EPSTamilNadu @AIADMKOfficial @AIADMKITWINGOFL pic.twitter.com/pXDrCJNRny
— Kovai Sathyan (@KovaiSathyan) November 21, 2022
The state Revenue Department officials were directed by the district administration to inspect the village. A parallel investigation by Puthiya Thalaimurai revealed that completion certificate was given even without the work being completed. However, the Revene Department officials refused to divulge details and said that they would initiate departmental action against anyone involved in the irregularities.
Later, work began on replacing the namesake pipes with actual pipe connections.
However, a case has now been registered against the youth who had exposed the irregularities based on a complaint given by Sethupatti Block Development Officer Renugopal. The complaint said that the youth Murali Krishnan had released the video with ‘malafide intention’.
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