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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
TWAD Board officials, contractors accused of looting Rs 90 crore annually in wages across Tamil Nadu
TENKASI/TIRUNELVELI: In a case of systematic corruption that's been going on for years, nearly Rs 90 crore is allegedly being looted every year by officials and contractors of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board through an organised racket of underpayment to contract staff across the state. According to a complaint filed last month by the Tirunelveli-Tenkasi Bharathiya TWAD Board Contract Labourers Union to the MD of the Board, Kiran Gurrala, while the minimum wage fixed for nearly 12,000 labourers working in Combined Water Supply Schemes (CWSSs) across TN is Rs 15,401, they are actually being paid only between Rs 7,500 and Rs 9,800 per month, a shortfall of nearly 40% to 50% of the actual salary. The rest of the amount, Rs 7.42 crore every month from the funds allotted for the workers' salary, is being allegedly pocketed by officials and contractors. We've been fighting for last 20 years for our rightful wage, say contract workers Multiple letters and communications sent to the TWAD Board over the years by stakeholder departments such as labour, Provident Fund, and CM's office have acknowledged the rot in the system but all the corrective actions proposed have been successfully stonewalled by the racketeers, workers alleged. According to the information shared by former TWAD Board MD V Dakshinamoorthy with the labourers in 2022, as many as 11,597 labourers — mostly electricians, pump operators and maintenance assistants — have been working in CWSSs across Tamil Nadu and they are entitled to be paid at least Rs 15,401 every month. In the petition submitted to MD Gurrala, the union said, 'Instead of crediting the full salary to our bank accounts, the illegally-truncated wage is paid in cash to us without any receipt. While a higher salary is shown to have been paid to us in the official records with the connivance of Executive Engineers (EEs) in each district, Rs 7.42 crore is being swindled every month from our wages.' The petitioners also alleged that 'in every three-year contract cycle, about Rs 267 crore of our money is being siphoned off'.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Underground Drainage works in KVV, Thudiyalur to be completed by September 2026
COIMBATORE: The long-pending Underground Drainage (UGD) project in added areas of Kavundampalayam, Vadavalli, Veerakeralam, and Thudiyalur (collectively referred to as KVV and Thudiyalur) has reached 42% completion, officials from the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board said. The project, which has been progressing at a snail's pace, is now expected to be complete by September 2026. Launched on May 8, 2023, the Rs 935.92-crore project was inaugurated by Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply Minister KN Nehru and former Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji. Initially estimated at Rs 860.80 crore, the project cost was later revised to the current figure. Of the total cost, Rs 774.72 crore is being funded through loans and grants, while Rs 96.08 crore is contributed by the local body. Sources said that the scheme implemented by the TWAD Board on behalf of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), is designed to serve 12 full wards and parts of two other wards. Based on the 2011 census, these areas have a population of over 2.05 lakh. The sewage generation is projected to be 28.29 million litres per day (MLD) at present, possibly rising to 49.18 MLD in the future. Despite the project's importance, progress has been sluggish. Residents and daily commuters have been grappling with dug-up roads, traffic diversions, and dust pollution due to the ongoing works. Many have expressed frustration over the inconvenience caused. When contacted, a senior TWAD Board official acknowledged the initial delays but assured that the project is now on track. "The work is being carried out in full swing now. Although we faced a few hurdles in the middle, all issues have been sorted out and work is being expedited," the official told TNIE. Presently, 40% of total project funds have been utilised. With over a year remaining for the targeted completion date, officials are hopeful of meeting the deadline, promising significant improvement in sewage infrastructure for these fast-growing suburbs of the city.
New Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Post rain, KNG Pudur-Subramaniyampalayam stretch a nightmare for commuters
COIMBATORE: With unseasonal summer showers lashing the city, a key stretch of road connecting KNG Pudur and Subramaniyampalayam has become non-motorable, leaving residents and commuters frustrated. The 3.7-km stretch, a crucial state highway linking the Thadagam-Anaikatti state highway road with the Nagapattinam-Gundlupet national highway (Mettupalayam Road), has turned into a muddy mess due to incomplete underground drainage (UGD) works. The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board, executing the UGD works on behalf of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), has reportedly failed to properly restore the road surface after laying pipelines. The resulting sludge-filled stretch has not only brought traffic to a crawl but has also increased the risk of accidents. Residents say several minor mishaps have already been reported over the past week. "This road is a lifeline connecting two major highways. Now it feels like we're driving through a marshland," said E Saravana Kumar, a regular commuter. "The rains have only worsened the situation." Local residents and motorists sought immediate intervention from the authorities and are calling for better coordination between government agencies to avoid such chaos in the future. "Why can't the TWAD Board and the highways department work together? Every time one agency finishes the work, another starts digging again," said a resident. Meanwhile, a senior CCMC official told TNIE that although road-laying works have been sanctioned for several areas in the city, the corporation cannot proceed until TWAD completes its work and issues a no-objection certificate (NOC). Until then, the stretch remains a symbol of poor planning and inter-agency disconnect — at the cost of public safety and convenience. A senior TWAD Board official said all necessary steps would be taken to resolve the issue at the earliest. CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran told TNIE, "A meeting has been scheduled with the TWAD Board officials to discuss water supply and UGD works across the city. In some of the added areas, pipelines installed under the AMRUT Scheme were left unattended for a long time and are being checked now. Regarding the road issues, I shall speak with the TWAD Board officials and address the problem soon."
