: Tamil Nadu government today denied DMK's charge that the Vellore Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme was progressing at slow pace and charged the latter with trying to 'mislead' people on this issue.
Contrary to DMK leader M K Stalin's accusation that only 25 per cent of the work had been completed, 94 per cent was over and the test run has started even as people will benefit from its first phase by this month end, Local Administration Minister S P Velumani said.
He was responding to DMK's protest demonstration led by its Treasurer M K Stalin on April 6, 2015 at Vellore seeking early implementation of the scheme.
Velumani alleged that Stalin planned to 'mislead' people by staging a protest against a scheme that was nearing completion and thus claim credit for himself for its completion.
During the previous DMK government, Stalin had laid the foundation stone for the project in 'haste' even as financial resources for it were not identified but the AIADMK government took it up at an estimated Rs 1295 crore, he said.
"So far 94 per cent of the work is completed and the rest will be completed soon," he said in a statement detailing the status of the project.
The test run had started and the in the first phase people under Vellore Municipality will benefit by this month end even as it would be expanded to Walajah and Arakkonam by the end of June, he added.
