'Operation Truehouse' unearth rampant irregularities at corporations and municipalities across state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance officials who searched for a 'three-storied building' sanctioned by the Corporation in Kochi's Vyttila zone were shocked when they saw a four-storied building. The building, with sanction for three storeys in the file, was illegally converted into a four-storied on Janatha Road in Vennala in Edappally. There is also a godown and bathroom in the parking area of ​​another commercial building at the same location. There is a dining room in parking area of ​​hotel in Maradu Municipality.

These are a few of the irregularities that came out in 'Operation Truehouse' which was conducted to find out the irregularities related to the construction of buildings in the corporations and municipalities of the state. In Thiruvananthapuram and Panoor in Kannur, there were serious corruption and irregularities of the employees including the construction of buildings without even an application. In some offices including Karunagapalli Municipality and Kottakkal, the user ID and password of assistant engineer and overseer are used by contract employees.

In Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, permission was given for a shopping complex without inspecting the land owned by the a doctor. Evidences of some of the officials of the revenue department taking bribes and tax concessions have also come out. Plans were approved and construction permission was given in some offices without the actual information on the site being recorded in the file. 45 buildings were constructed illegally in Kasaragod Municipality.

Irregularities are rampant in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's Kadakampally Zonal Office, Varkala, Vadakara, Perinthalmanna and Guruvayur Municipalities. In Ettumanoor Municipality, an amount of Rs. 25 lakhs collected as a building construction fee was not paid in the treasury and was seized. A four-storied building with an area of ​​369 square meters near Parappalli in Changanassery is taxed at 100 square meters. In Kottarakkara, Ramanatukara and Neyyatinkara, the multi-storied buildings constructed by clearing paddy fields have been given building numbers by the Municipal Corporations.

The Palakkad Municipal Corporation has thrown the Awas Yojana into disarray by illegally allocating one more house to the existing house owners. The inspection was led by IG H Venkitesh, SP ES Bijumon and DYSP Vinod according to the instructions of Vigilance ADGP Manoj Abraham.