Kerala: PWD minister alleges involvement of notorious land dealers in the Haripad Medical College project

Kerala: The controversy-hit Haripad Medical College project took another sharp turn when the PWD minister G Sudhakaran alleged that there is indeed an involvement of notorious land dealers in deal for the tenders awarded for the design of the medical college recently. It may be recalled that a PWD vigilance team was probing the matter, for the first PPP medical college in the state. The complaint by PWD has resulted in to a loss of Rs 4, 61 crore to the government.

However, the initial report submitted by the Deputy Chief Engineer, Vigilance, Public Works was rejected on the matter. There were some government officials were under the scanner of the vigilance department at PWD.

Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran said the report reflected the stand of the previous UDF government and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala. "Effort to get more clarification on various issues has failed and we are rejecting the report.

Now, the PWD minister G Sudhakaran has said in the presence of the media recently that it was notorious land dealers behind the Haripad Medical College project and their intention was to get the government funds in illegal way. He was speaking at CPM's district level organic cultivation movement here on Sunday.

"There was big corruption behind Haripad Medical College project. The opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala is unnecessarily fearing the investigation of the case. We have not given any direction to register case against Chennithala. But we will conduct detailed investigation into the corruption behind this project," said Sudhakaran.