ALAPPUZHA: Leader of the Opposition in the Alappuzha municipality A.A. Shukoor of the Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in the utilisation of the maintenance grant fund of the local body in recent years.

At a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Shukoor said the local fund audit report had pointed out corruption in the utilisation of maintenance grant fund and a vigilance investigation was going on in the issue.

He alleged there was large-scale corruption in the projects related to the dredging of various small canals in the town and the modernisation of Valiya Chudukad.

Mr. Shukoor said the local fund audit report had pointed out a misappropriation to the tune of Rs.90 lakh in the utilisation of maintenance grant of the year 2004-05 that totalled Rs.139 lakh. Mr. Shukoor alleged there were large-scale malpractices in the utilisation of funds earmarked for the dredging of canals in 2005-06.

He noted that "of the Rs.25 lakh earmarked for dredging of canals from the maintenance grant fund, an embezzlement to the tune of Rs.15 lakh might have happened."

In the issue of renovation of Alappuzha Valiya Chudukad, though the estimated cost of the project was Rs.5.97 lakh, the actual cost of the work done was only for Rs.2 lakh, Mr. Shukoor alleged. The contractor who executed the renovation work had benefited from it and the municipal authorities had sided with him, Mr. Shukoor said.

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