Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 17: "The underground drainage system executed at Suratkal out of financial assistance of Rs 216 crore from Asian Development Bank has been a total failure. We will blacklist the contractor concerned. A criminal investigation department probe will be recommended after holding discussions with the chief minister and secretary in urban development department," said urban development minister, Roshan Baig. He was speaking to a Kannada daily during his visit to Suratkal on Saturday December 16.

The minister termed the project as a fraud played on the people. "We had executed this project by borrowing funds with the welfare of the people in mind. But because of substandard works, sewage treatment plants have been leaking and the project has failed. The contractors who executed this work are to be entirely blamed for this failure," he stated. This project was executed in the year 2006.

The minister also found fault with the officials who were working here then, of failing to do frequent spot visits and undertaking thorough inspection. He noted that those who were hired as consultants for this project had been paid five to six crore rupees, in spite of which the project proved to be disastrous. He said that it is proposed to order investigation by holding even retired officials responsible for the lapses, duly noting that water of wells in certain areas has become polluted on account of leakage of the drainage system.

After inspecting the treatment plant of the system at Hosabettu, acting on complaints from the people, the minster took officials to task and sought full details of works executed during 2006, as he was agitated to find that the plant was leaking. He also visited the plant at Guddekopla, Suratkal. He was told that the local people had organized protests and pressurized the concerned to close down the plant as leaking plant had polluted a number of wells in the area.

City corporation commissioner, Muammed Nazeer, senior engineer, Ganesh, engineers, officials of urban development department, and officials of Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Management Project were present.