Probe sought in HMWSSB scam

A PIL has been moved before the Hyderabad High Court seeking a probe into alleged misappropriation of government funds to the tune of `24 crore in the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

P. Sai Kumar, a resident of the city, moved the PIL stating that the TS government had undertaken a project with an outlay of `3,375 crore to provide drinking water to Hyderabad from Yellampally reservoir.

As a part the third phase of the project, a 58-km long pipeline was laid by the contractor company and the bills claimed.

Mr Kumar alleged that some officials of the HMWSSB, in collusion with WAPCO (quality assurance), submitted a bogus bill to the government for `24 crore as payment in excess of the original sanctioned amount, claiming a change in the alignment of the pipeline.

He said that surprisingly, the additional `24 crore was released for the work that was never done.

Mr Kumar told the court that the bogus bill was raised without there being any change in the original alignment for the pipeline from Kondapaka to Ghanapur balancing reservoir.

He urged the court to direct the government to initiate action against the officials involved in misappropriation of funds.