The Hindu 27.07.2012
Shettar to order probe into silt removal scam in BBMP
Opposition member says full payment was made for 40 per cent of work
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Thursday informed the
Legislative Council that he would ask the Development Commissioner to
probe the alleged irregularities in the work taken up by the Bruhat
Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to remove silt from drains in the last three
years.
The Chief Minister stated this while replying
to Janata Dal (Secular) member M. Srinivas who alleged that payments
had been made to contractors without even ascertaining whether they had
completed the work. There was mismatch between the money paid and the
actual quantum of silt removed from drains.
Missing silt dumps
“We
should have seen huge dumps of silt in Bangalore if the contractors had
actually undertaken work befitting the quantum of payments made to
them,” Mr. Srinivas said, alleging that the quantum of silt removed had
been inflated.
Bill paid
The contractors had not completed even 40 per cent of the allotted work though the entire bill had been paid, he added.
Chief
Minister Shettar said the amount paid on this count was Rs. 38.17 crore
in the last three years. This included transportation cost of Rs. 6.16
crore.
Nayandahalli nightmare
Replying
to BJP member Ganesh Karnik, Mr. Shettar said he would take steps to
facilitate smooth traffic at the Nayandahalli junction on
Bangalore-Mysore state highway where works on an underpass as well as
the metro rail have made commuting a nightmare for Bangaloreans.
He
also assured the Council of taking pre-emptive measures such as
providing alternative routes for traffic in future for further
infrastructure works in the city.
Underpass
Pointing
out to the October 31, 2012 deadline for the Nayandahalli junction
underpass, he said he would instruct officials concerned to see it was
strictly adhered to.