Collector orders probe into ‘community hall scam’

‘The structures were not built but money was withdrawn’

Adilabad Collector A. Sridevasena has ordered inquiry into the alleged community hall construction scam in Adilabad municipality, brought to her notice by the Congress party the previous day. The Congress has alleged that funds allocated for construction of community hall in 22 wards out of the 36 in the municipality have been siphoned off without constructing the structures.

The alleged scam runs into over a crore of rupees drawn from special development fund allocated by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao following his visit to Adilabad town in February 2018. The Congress further alleged that the scam could stretch to the remaining wards and even to mandal head quarters.

It all started when ward number 20 councillor A. Ashok was told by officials in the municipality that a community hall has been constructed last year and the contractor had even drawn all the money for it. The councillor was surprised over this revelation and began inquiring into the issue subsequently.

To his consternation, he found that community halls were constructed in 22 wards as per orders but no structure existed on the ground.

Congress party leaders petitioned the Collector on Tuesday demanding an inquiry. She asked the Additional Collector (Local Bodies) to inquire and submit a report by June 26.