Mysuru: In a sting operation by the Deccan Chronicle, employees of the Vanivilas Water Board were caught demanding a bribe of Rs 2,000 for giving a connection to a new pipeline to the people of Giridarshini Layout here and dismissed on the spot.
As DC recorded the conversation on a cellphone, unknown to the two men, they demanded the money for giving a new water connection. Asked why they wanted the money, the employees, Suresh and Krishna said, “It is for the material and labourers,” Would they give a receipt? They replied, “No.” Did they know who had laid the pipeline? “MCC,” they said. So why did they not give the connection when it was laid? Silence.
DC next approached Vanivilas Executive Engineer, Anand with the recorded cell phone clip and he lost no time in visiting the Giridarshini layout with Assistant Engineer, Rajgopal Thursday morning to corner Krishna when he arrived with one Kumar to “give the new connection” as promised in exchange for the money. Neither man attempted to deny any of it, when confronted. People of the layout also informed the officer that they had paid the board employees bribes for the water connection, which proved to be their swansong. While Krishna and Kumar were dismissed on the spot as they were temporary employees, Mr Anand has written to the Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner, Dr Betsurmath, to suspend three other semi- permanant employees for allegedly demanding bribes as well.
In all, the five employees allegedly took bribes of between Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 from each of the consumers in the layout for giving a connection to the newly laid water pipeline.
As almost half of the over 1000 households in the area have taken a new connection, the employees are estimated to have walked away with a cool '10 lakh in bribe in the area alone.
According to Mr Vinay, a resident of Giridarshni layout, the old pipeline of 75mm diameter was replaced by a pipeline of 90 mm by the Mysuru City Corporation recently. Over a period of time the board employees demanded Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 for giving a connection to the new pipeline, the people claim.
Mysuru City Corporation Superindent Engineer , Suresh Babu, when contacted, said existing consumers were not expected to give any money to the water board employees for a new connection.
