ZP accused of irregularities in Bagepalli borewell work

TP vice president checks wells sunk in villages, motors connected

Taluk Panchayat vice president Shankar Reddy in his written complaint to Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer has alleged poor work in drilling borewells in the taluk, amounting to loss of lakhs of rupees.

Speaking on Saturday after inspecting the borewells drilled in Motukapalli, Malakacheruvupalli and other villages under Nallapareddypalli Grama Panchayat, Shankar Reddy said:

“Borewells drilled in these villages by the Zilla Panchayat’s technical sub-division are of sub-standard quality.

Pumps, motors, cables used in the borewells are of low quality.”
As part of the scheme, a borewell has been drilled in Krishna Reddy’s fields. He is a resident of Motukapalli village.

Drilling expense

According to rules set by the State government, the borewell drilled at a cost of Rs 1.80 lakh should be run by  25 HP Texmo motor. Instead Krishna Reddy’s borewell is run by a motor from a local company. Added to this, instead of 310 meter cable, 240 meter cable has been used. Also, instead of 25 collar, 18 collar has been installed, he said.

Quality maintenance has taken a backseat in the drilling of borewells, he added.

Similar is the case of a borewell drilled on the roadside of Motukapalli village. This borewell drilled at a cost of Rs 2.32 lakh has 182 meter of cable instead of 350 meters, said Shankar Reddy.

In the wake of drought in the district, deputy commissioner sanctioned funds to drill borewells in 24 Grama Panchayats in the taluk. However, officers in technical sub-division of the Zilla Panchayat in collision with a concerned few have misappropriated funds by engaging in poor work, he said.

Shankar Reddy said that he would soon write to the deputy commissioner and the Zilla Panchayat executive officer to apprise them of alleged irregularities in drilling of borewells.