FIR LODGED AGAINST 24 JAL NIGAM ENGINEERS FOR ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES

A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged late on Saturday night against 24 engineers of the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam for alleged irregularities and negligence in laying water pipelines in Kanpur under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.

Deputy commissioner of police (South) Raveena Tyagi confirmed registration of the FIR with the police.

Among the engineers, there are several project managers and a former chief engineer, according to the FIR available with HT.

The case was lodged under Sections 420, 409, 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

Jal Nigam’s project manager Shamim Akhtar lodged the FIR with the Fazalgunj police on the basis of an in-house investigation.

The engineers named in the FIR were responsible for the laying of PSC (prestressed concrete) pipelines of 2100 mm between Company Bagh and Bara Devi gate in Kanpur.

But it was alleged that the changed it to sub-standard GRP (glass reinforced) pipes without seeking any sanction from the competent authorities. In addition, they placed the order with the companies and received the consignments for use, it was further alleged.

The problem came to the fore when the pipes leaked across the Company Bagh and Bara Devi gate and could not be fixed.

An in-house team of engineers investigated the matter in 2019 and found the use of different pipes as the reason for the massive leakage at multiple points. The department said in the FIR that the act amounted to embezzlement of funds.