Three nominated members of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) have demanded an independent probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), into the case of the KSPCB regional offices outsourcing water quality testing to a private lab, ignoring the modern lab run by the KSPCB.
An internal inquiry report has found due procedures were not followed, and the work order was issued without any tender process, flouting the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999.
In a letter to KSPCB Chairman Vaman Acharya and Secretary, Department of Environment and Forests, a copy of which is available with The Hindu , the three nominated members — Jai Prakash Alva, Mohan Kumar Kondajji and J.G. Kaveriappa — have demanded that the probe into the case be handed over either to the CID or the Lokayukta.
Mohan Kumar Kondajji alleged that following a mail from Mr. Acharya directing regional officers to get water from lakes in their jurisdiction tested, all the four ROs outsourced it to the same private lab, without issuing any tender, which was suspicious and called for an independent probe.
However, the KSPCB Board, which met and deliberated on the issue, did not take a call on referring the case to the CID or Lokayukta. The State government is yet to take a call.
