The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Irregularities in Upper Krishna works referred to Lokayukta

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 24, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Irregularities in Upper Krishna works referred to Lokayukta

Special Correspondent

136 engineers allegedly involved in it; charge sheets to be filed soon

Basavaraj Bommai

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to refer the issue of irregularities in 116 construction works of the Upper Krishna Project, involving 136 engineers, to the Lokayukta for inquiry.

Those involved in the alleged irregularities include six chief engineers, three superintending engineers and 25 executive engineers.

Replying to Congress member Amatheppa M. Kandakoor during question hour in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Government would write to the Lokayukta in this regard. The decision to refer the matter to the Lokayukta was taken following a suggestion by Janata Dal (S) leader M. C. Nanaiah.

Mr. Bommai said disciplinary action would be initiated against the above engineers, besides filing charge sheets against them within 15 days. Steps would be taken to file criminal cases against them and blacklist the contractors who colluded with them.

The Minister said these engineers had been involved in irregularities in 2006-07 by taking up additional construction work to favour contractors though such works were not necessary.

Additional financial allocation had also been made for the project. The works, which had been executed, were of inferior quality.

Of the total construction cost of Rs. 84.09 crore, Rs. 68.20 crore had already been paid to contractors, the Minister pointed out.

Recovery

However, steps would be taken to recover the money from the contractors, if need be. The vigilance wing of the Irrigation Department had conducted an inquiry and confirmed the role of these engineers in the irregularities, he said.

No White Paper

The Minister said the Government had decided against releasing a white paper on the irrigation projects. The then Irrigation Minister in the Janata Dal (S)-Bharatiya Janata Party government had assured the House of such a step.

However, Mr. Bommai said the Advocate-General had advised against such a step as it involved legal and sensitive information, especially at a time when the State was fighting a legal battle to protect its share of water from the inter-State rivers.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka