Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking photographs during his visit to Bandipur and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu respectively, in April 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed during his visit to Mysuru in April 2023 has threatened legal action for non-settlement of bills amounting to ₹80.6 lakh.
Mr. Modi was in Mysuru to inaugurate 50 years of Project Tiger event which was organised by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF).
Assured assistance
It transpires that the State Forest Department was instructed to conduct the event from April 9 to 11 at a cost of ₹3 crore and was assured of 100% Central assistance. The programme was conducted at a short notice as per the directions of the senior officials from MoEF and NTCA and the total cost of the event went up to ₹6.33 crore.
Though ₹3 crore had been released by the Centre, the balance of ₹3.33 crore is yet to be released despite exchange of communication between the State Forest Department and the MoEF.
Perusal of letters between the MoEF and NTCA indicates that the cost of the event was originally pegged at ₹3 crore, but as per the instructions given by NTCA officials and the requirements of the Prime Minister’s programme, a few additional activities were included and hence the event management company to which the programme was outsourced, submitted a revised quotation and the same was circulated to all officials during a videoconference.
State asked to pay
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) of Karnataka wrote to Deputy Inspector-General, NTCA, New Delhi, on September 29, 2023 reminding him of the dues. But the NTCA wrote back on February 12, 2024 that expenses pertaining to the stay of Prime Minister entourage at Radisson Blu Plaza in Mysuru, should be reimbursed by the State government.
Subsequently, another letter dated March 22, 2024, was written by the present PCCF Subhash K. Malkhede reminding the NTCA of the dues, including non-clearance of hotel bills of the Prime Minister’s stay at Radisson Blu Plaza amounting to ₹ 80.6 lakh but there has been no reply so far.
In the meantime, the general manager, Finance, of Radisson Blu Plaza wrote to the Deputy Conservator of Forests Basavaraju on May 21, 2024,, reminding him of the non-payment of bills “even 12 months after the utilisation of our hotel services”.
Additional sum for delay
The letter said despite consistent follow-up and reminders, these bills remain unpaid. It goes on to say that a delayed payment interest of 18% per annum would be applicable to the outstanding dues and this additional sum of ₹12.09 lakh (for the delayed payment) should be included when the payment was being affected.
The hotel management has threatened legal action in the event of non-settlement of dues by June 1, 2024.
When contacted, Dr. Basavaraju said that the State government had rebuffed Centre’s directives to reimburse the amount on the grounds that it was a Central government programme.
