Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Monday refuted allegations levelled by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA Vaiyapuri Manikantan that the Lt. Governor’s office has stalled the government’s plan to set up a reverse osmosis plant in his constituency.
Presenting before the media the officials who dealt with the project at Raj Nivas, she said her office intervened in the issue after non- governmental organisations and civil society representatives raised concerns about the tendering process for setting up three RO plants at Kattamanikuppam, Rainbow Nagar and Thirukanji.
In a detailed response, she said the plants, each having a capacity to provide 2.5 mld, were to be set up at a cost of ₹14.08 crore under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.
Disposal of sludge
At a review meeting in May, she urged the public works department to take action on the concerns raised by non-governmental organisations and civil society members. The PWD was asked to look into the mode of pollution-free disposal of sludge, co-opting the external experts in the Tender Evaluation Committee, fixing the issue of maintenance and feasibility of supplying the purified water from RO plant without mixing it with existing higher PPM (part per million) content water, she said.
“The deliberations at Raj Nivas have only resulted in bringing out certain pertinent matters of concern. The PWD was to take a considered decision on the minutes with the approval of competent authority. Till now, the file has not been submitted to the Lt. Governor,” she said.
Refuting the charge that the file was pending with her office, Ms. Bedi said she was compelled to present the officers before the media to present the facts. “I am here to protect the dignity of Lt. Governor’s office. Why should I block a drinking water project? People should speak with facts,” she said.
When asked for a solution to the turf war between her office and the ruling government, she said: “God only knows. Raj Nivas is open to everyone and my intention is to serve the people of Puducherry.
“I am here only for a short period,” he said.
Luxury car
Ms. Bedi said she had ordered a probe into allegation of fraudulent registration of a luxury car owned by a Keralite in Puducherry. The car which cost ₹1.12 crore was registered here after paying ₹1.12 lakh. For the same car, the registration would have cost the owner around ₹20 lakh in Kerala, she said.
