Coimbatore : Yet again, Arappor Iyakkam has blown the whistle against S.P Velumani, the State Minister from Coimbatore allegedly for usurping a government building in the city.
Coimbatore : Yet again, Arappor Iyakkam has blown the whistle against S.P Velumani, the State Minister from Coimbatore allegedly for usurping a government building in the city.
Arappor Iyakkam has filed a complaint to DVAC alleging that the Rural and Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani has misused his powers and has been using a Corporation building to run an academy by his trust, which is jointly run by him and his brother.
In the complaint dated July 18, 2019 by Arapoor Iyakkam to theDirectorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) it is alleged that a building in RS Puram in which the Amma IAS academy is functioning belongs to the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC). And, earlier, a Sanitary Inspector (SI) ward office was functioning in the same place.
Citing that the SI ward office is in a diliapated state, the office was shifted to another temporary location at the west zone office. And, a new building was constructed at the same place claiming it as AMMA IAS Academy, says the allegation.
According to the complaint, three tenders were floated in 2015, 2016 and 2017 for construction of Sanitary Inspector ward office and a commercial complex in the campus and was approved by the council in 2017.
The complaint added that "A total of 1.75 crores has been spent for the building and the tenders were competed by the same set of bidders and 'as usual' won by Viswanathan Constructions.
As per the complaint the tender documents mention that the construction was carried out for ward office and commercial complex. To the contrary, the building was handed over to Amma IAS academy and inaugurated on Febuary 3, 2019.
The complaint further alleges that the presence of Minister for Local Administration, S.P.Velumani, MLAs of Coimbatore, then Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner, during the inauguration gave a false view that the building is a Government-run free IAS Academy.
"However, the reality is different. The AMMA IAS Academy is not a Government run Academy. It is run by Nallaram Trust, founded by Minister S.P.Velumani and his brother S.P.Anbarasan. Therefore, it is a clear case of conflict of interest and favouritism where in the Minister seems to have misused his powers to usurp a government building for his trust. And, further falsely misguide the public to think it as a government run building by christening it as AMMA IAS Academy", noted the complaint.
The complaint further states that with regards to the functioning of Sanitary Inspector office for Ward 23, the public information officer has said that it functions in the new SI office building at Ramachandra road. "Again, the truth seems to be different. As the Sanitary Inspector office for Ward 23 which is claimed to be functioning in in Ramachandra road in RS Puram is actually functioning in a metal sheet shed at the west zone office", Arapoor alleges.
As per the complaint, when Arapoor made an appeal, the appellate authority has agreed that the SI office is functioning in the west zone office and not in the new building. After this RTI appeal reply, earlier this month, the Coimbatore Corporation officials hurriedly visited the new SI office building were AMMA IAS Academy is functioning and pasted a small flex on the ‘free coaching center’ board which reads ‘Coimbatore Corporation West Zone Sanitary Inspector Office 23 and 24.
However, until today, the shutter of the said SI office remains closed at the new building and only AMMA IAS Academy is functioning, noted the complaint.
Jayaram Venkatesan, Convenor, Arappor Iyakkam over a telecon to SimpliCity claimed that "This is a clear loss to the Exchequer. The incident is a clear case of conflict of interest and favouritism where in the Minister seems to have misused his powers to usurp a government building for running AMMA IAS Academy, a unit of Nallaram Trust."
He also questioned while all tenders and e-auction of the Coimbatore Corporation is online, why the tender/ e-auction of handing over the SI campus building to AMMA IAS Academy and its council resolution approving it is not available online?
Jayaraman urged that the DVAC needs to investigate the tender process, terms and conditions under which the building has been handed over to the Minister.
Arappor Iyakkam has also appealed to the DVAC to register a case under Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant laws against Minister S.P.Velumani, S.P.Anbarasan, former Corporation Commissioner, K. Vijaya Karthikeyan and all other public servants involved in the usurpation of a public property.