Funds meant for restoring roads diverted to water treatment project

Funds meant for road restoration diverted to water treatment plant, causing concern among officials and local representatives.

The funds meant for restoring roads dug up for laying water supply pipelines under the Jala Siri Project in the city being diverted to the water treatment plant (WTP) coming up at Adyar came to the light at the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting here on Friday, September 13.

Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP, presided over the meeting.

An official of the project told the meeting that ₹67 crore reserved for restoring roads have been diverted to ₹127 crore WTP being built at Adyar.

A project official said that the fund was diverted as per the instruction of the government which has asked to avail fund for restoring roads from State Finance Commission grants or from Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikas Yojana.

Taking exception to this, D. Vedavyasa Kamath and Y. Bharat Shetty, Mangaluru city MLAs, wondered how it could be done. Dr. Shetty said that the MLAs have been kept in the dark about the WTP project and the diversion of funds.

The MLAs said without funds for restoring roads, people have been left in the lurch.

Capt. Chowta said the Union Ministry for Tribal Affairs has sanctioned an Ekalavya Residential Model School to Dakshina Kannada. A 15-acre land for opening the school should be identified.