Kollam: A government contractor of Aryankavu near Punalur here committed suicide on Tuesday allegedly due to the non-payment of his contract amount due from various departments.
A. Augustine alias Benoy, 43, of Mattathil house, Aryankavu, A class-A contractor with the PWD, was found hanging inside his office at Aryankavu.
The departments, including forest and major irrigation, owed him dues of nearly Rs 60 lakh that affected his existing works, his relatives alleged.
The government contractors association has alleged serious negligence by the revenue department in Kollam collectorate in sanctioning bills on time, which led to the suicide of the contractor.
“Augustine had been knocking at the doors of Kollam collectorate for the last seven months for his two bills worth Rs 44 lakh and Rs 15 lakh each. This was in connection with the river management works done at Achankovil. At present he was working for the forest department. He was struggling to settle the payments for the materials procured,” Mr T. Pradeep, district secretary, All-Kerala Government Contractors Association, told DC.
The contractors had conducted a protest march demanding the payments in front of the collectorate on August 10. “The contractors have complained against collector T. Mitra who delays money bills for trivial issues in the documents and blocks the funds. None takes up even MLA’s works due to the collector’s attitude,” Mr. Pradeep added.
The association has planned a protest march over the suicide.
“The price for a cubic foot of rock metal used for concrete has increased from Rs 30 to Rs 60 in six months. The collector has remained indifferent to the issue,” he alleged. The district administration denied the allegation and said the bills were pending due to “improper documentation.”
According to Thenmala police, the reason for the suicide was yet to be ascertained.
The body was laid to rest on Wednesday at the St. Mary’s church cemetery at Aryankavu. Augustine leaves behind his wife Jessy and children Aleena and Adona.
