Urban News

Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Council, V S Ugrappa, making a preliminary submission on an adjournment motion sought to be moved, said Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had entered into a three-year agreement (2007-10) with 30 contractors for disposal of the garbage generated in the City.

However, when complaints started pouring over the quality of work, the then BBMP commissioner, Subramanya, constituted a task force to look into the complaints.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF), headed by N R Nadamuni, submitted a report confirming that there were indeed financial irregularities on several counts. The report concluded that 80 per cent of the work agreed under the contract was not completed, despite collecting money. Ugrappa quoted instances of irregularities like lead bills, which were submitted inflating the distance covered for garbage disposal. Even log book entries of all activities were not entered, Ugrappa alleged.

The report says that of the 252 lorries, 196 were fitted with a GPS system. However, the GPS in 108 lorries were tampered with, and hence became non-functional. The report clearly stated that nine out of eleven requirements under the contract were not fulfiled.

Between March 2007 and June 2008, a sum of Rs 101.95 crore was claimed after completing only 30 per cent of the work. All in all, a sum of Rs 74.27 crore was claimed every year, totalling to Rs 222.81 crore for three years.

BBMP officers guilty

The BMTF also implicated 33 health officers and 126 junior officials from East, West and South zones. V R Sudarshan (Cong) said that the scam exposed the nexus between officials and contractors. He alleged that officials had become emboldened due to reluctance on the part of the government to conduct BBMP polls.

The Opposition said that the government has not taken any action even after eight months of submission of the report. “The cost of affairs, whether housing or garbage, taken up by the government is always in excess of Rs 100 crore,” ridiculed, Nanaiah.

The Opposition took exception to the fact that another inquiry was ordered into the matter, without citing any reason for not accepting the BATF report submitted last December.

Chairman Veeranna Mathikatti said that he would allow a debate on the issue on Tuesday.