Water bodies: Pondy govt objects to Bedi's intervention

Puducherry PWD Minister A Namassivayam today took exception to the "intervention" of Lt Governor Kiran bedi in the maintenance of water bodies in the Union Territory.
Replying to a question during zero hour in the Assembly, the Minister said, the government had obtained funds from NABARD for desilting of the tanks and the money was being spent properly and in keeping with the guidelines.
The Lt Governor had insisted that the Tank Users Associations alone should be entrusted with the work of desilting and maintaining the tanks, he pointed out.
"Most of the Associations had become outdated and there were instances of the Associations lacking necessary equipments.. No proper accounts had been submitted by the associations relating to utilisation of funds," he claimed.

Welfare Minister M Kandasamy also said that Bedi's intervention in the matter was virtually dislocating the work.
Minister Namassivayam claimed that allocation of desilting work through tender system was proving to be effective and hence the tender system would be continued.