Street lights are on roads, not in lake, claim Greater Chennai Corporation officials

CHENNAI: Two days after a TOI report on how crores of public money were wasted by installing street lights on lakes at Puzhal and Korattur in 2018, Greater Chennai Corporation officials claimed they were indeed corporation roads.
To a question on illegal street lights, deputy commissioner (works) M S Prasanth said the corporation inspected the water body and all the lights were along corporation roads. “Water has been released from Andhra Pradesh and there is stagnation there due to a bund breach in the lake. No laws have been violated,” he said. The mayor said they put up lights as residents in the area requested it.
After TOI shared more pictures and clarified PWD submitted a report saying all the lights are illegal and in areas like RK Dakshin Nagar, beyond Saraswathy Nagar and Eternal Covenant Church, the corporation sent its zonal officer (Ambattur) to inspect the lake on Saturday.
As per WRD report, the corporation put up street lights for 244 encroachers. WRD officials have conveyed the same to GCC officials as well. Councillors of ward 82 and 83 on Saturday confirmed to TOI that lights in Korattur are encroachments and will be removed.
For inspection on Friday, the civic body had sent chief engineer (electrical) P Duraisamy, who in 2018 was the superintendent engineer and responsible for implementing the project. The mayor and DC read out his report.
“The report is going to be biased if they are sending the same officer responsible for implementation, for inspection. . Whether there is any political pressure needs to be seen,” said Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam. Vigilance officer R Gunavharman said he will carry out an independent probe.