Section of residents of ward 31 of Madurai Corporation, who have now been asked by the Corporation to pay a considerable amount of money for regularising their ‘unauthorized’ water connections, have alleged that they were defrauded by their councillor who took money for the connections but failed to pay the Corporation.
The residents, mainly from Yagappa Nagar and Tahsildar Nagar, alleged that they were given water connections in 2012 and 2013 by their councillor S.K. Suseendiran after receiving anywhere between Rs. 18,000 and Rs. 35,000 for a connection.
“Our area, which was annexed with the Corporation in 2011, was reeling under water scarcity. He promised us connection and took money. As he was the councillor, we thought the water connection was provided through proper procedures,” said R. Vasanthakumari, a resident.
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The residents said they realised something suspicious when repeated requests for proper receipts were ignored.
“I approached the councillor several times, requesting for the receipt. However, he just kept delaying it and never gave it,” said another resident of Yagappa Nagar, requesting anonymity.
K.P.K. Rafeeq Raja, north zone secretary of Social Democratic Party of India, and a resident of the area, said that the party had filed a writ petition in Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in this regard on behalf of the residents.
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“There were more than 200 such connections. Corporation officials conducted enquiries regarding this in 2013 but no action followed,” he said.
Mr. Rafeeq Raja added that an enquiry was also initiated by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and statements of a few residents were recorded.
The residents said that many of them had been asked to pay around Rs. 19,000 and some even up to Rs. 25,000 to regularise the connections, failing which they were told that the connections would be disconnected.
“We are willing to pay the water tax for the past four years. However, asking us to pay connection deposit, penalty and road repair charges is unfair,” said a resident of Tahsildar Nagar.
Refuting the allegations as completely baseless, Mr. Suseendiran said that he did not take any money. “The residents might have taken the connections through other Corporation workers,” he said.
“I was, in fact, trying to help them in getting the connections regularised. However, it did not happen earlier due to non-cooperation of an Assistant Engineer. Now, majority of these residents have already paid the money to regularise their connections,” he added.
Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri said that the allegations had not been brought to his notice by the residents after he took charge.
“If complaints are made, we will certainly look into them,” he said.