Rs 20 crore interlock scam found in Alappuzha MGNREGA projects

KOLLAM: An audit report revealed shocking findings of corruption in Alappuzha mgnrega working projects. The interlock bricks used to fill pathways were purchased at double the price extending to a Rs 20 crore scam. The project comes under the mgnrega work scheme in Alappuzha.

According to the praise software estimates from panchayats, the 80mm weighing concrete blocks are at Rs 872 per square meter. But the Alappuzha mgnrega authorities gave a double and more of Rs 1961.26. The revelations came out after the Purakkad panchayath’s auditing. In the year 2021-22, eight pathways were designed with interlock bricks and the estimated loss accounted for Rs 31.83 lakh. It is now being found that starting in 2019, the concrete blocks are purchased at double rate and were avoiding any inspection from authorities.

The state mission director has instructed the Alappuzha district ombudsman to recover the loss from the employees who showed lax during work. The ombudsman's findings also revealed that the price range of bricks in other districts covering GST falls below Rs 1000.