Villagers Send Bribe Cash to CM's Fund

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 20th March 2015 06:03 AM

Last Updated: 20th March 2015 

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  Residents from Kalathur village showing the Demand Drafts sent to the CM’s Public Relief Fund, to draw his attention their plight | express

VELLORE: Residents of Kalathur village, following up on their vehement opposition to the proposed sand quarry in the Palar Riverbed, have mailed demand drafts (DD) worth Rs 2,10,970, that was given to several residents of the village by sand contractors as bribe money to enlist their support for the quarry, to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund on Thursday.

Together with the DDs mailed through speed-post, the villagers also sent a petition expressing their current plight.

The bribe amount was given by sand-contractors to a section of villagers, ward-members and women self-help groups of the Panchayat for enlisting their support for the sand-quarry project. Those villagers who took the bribe were ostracized by the rest of the villagers.

Apologising for their indiscretion, most of the bribe moneys received was returned.

A total of Rs 3,40,000 was distributed as bribe money to several residents of the village.

“We have sent the DDs through speed post addressed to the CM. We did this to send a clear message to corrupt officials and sand contractors that we will never ever allow them to open a sand quarry here,” 30 year-old Logan of Kalathur told the Express. He added that they would collect the remaining bribe amount from the villagers, who were seeking some time to mail it to the CM’s Relief Fund in the coming days.

The villagers, in their petition, have pleaded the CM to protect them from sand-contractors and their supporters. “We are constantly being threatened by the sand-mafia and their supporters. The police have also filed a number of non-bailable cases against us for protesting against the quarry project. In such a scenario, we have no other choice except to seek the help of the Chief Minister of the State,” said a college going student from the village.

The villagers have also sent details of cases filed against some women, college and school going students in and around the village for protesting against the sand quarry project. “We are providing legal assistance to villagers against whom cases have been filed,” said a member of Makkal Mantram, a NGO based in Kancheepuram.