Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had allotted two acres of industrial plot to a less-than-a-month-old firm, owned by Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and his family members, in just 21 days after receiving application for allotment of a plot in 2009, alleged RTI activist Dinesh Kallahalli.
Releasing copies of documents in this regard while addressing presspersons here on Monday, Mr. Kallahalli said that Bharath Industries was registered as a partnership firm on January 6, 2009 with Mr. Eshwarappa, his wife, K.H. Jayalakshmi, son, K.E. Kantesh and daughter-in-law Shalini R as equal partners.
On the same day (January 6), Ms. Jayalakshmi had written to Minister for Major and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani requesting him to give directions to the authorities concerned for allotment of an industrial plot for the firm and the same day Mr. Nirani had forwarded it to the CEO of KIADB.
Meanwhile, Mr. Eshwarappa, on behalf of the firm, on January 12 had sent application to the KIADB for allotment of an industrial plot, and the KIADB had received the application on January 15, said Mr. Kallahallai while pointing out that Mr. Eshwarappa had claimed himself as an “industrialist” in the application.
Land allotted
Acting quickly, the KIADB on February 4, 2009 allotted two acres of land in Plot No-135, Sompura Industrial Area 1st stage, near Dobbspet on lease-cum-sale basis for period of 10 years setting up an industrial unit for manufacturing briquetting machines (mechanical and hydraulic), Mr. Kallahalli said.
He alleged that allotment was made in violation of various norms, including acceptance of application despite not paying sufficient fees along with application, land having value of Rs. 1 crore per acre was allotted at the rate of only Rs. 57 lakh per acre, no approval from the allotment committee, and in the absence of firm’s registration with Small Industries Development Corporation, etc.
While Mr. Eshwarappa had submitted application to KIADB, his wife had written to letter to Mr. Nirani, and finally the plot was registered in the name of son Mr. Kantesh. Initially the firm was registered with an address in Yelahanka, Bangalore, and subsequently its address gets changed to Mr. Eshwarappa’s residence at Shimoga, claimed Mr. Kallahalli demanding cancellation of allotment.
