Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Apr 17: The house panel formed into the alleged PWD scam in Magadi taluk which is located adjacent to the city, has found that the department had sanctioned 1,300 works worth Rs 600 crore to the taluk during the year 2011-12, as against only 496 crore sanctioned to all the PWD divisions in north Karnataka put together. The amount spent by the department for its works in all the districts of north Karnataka is less than half this amount, it has been revealed.

These findings were made in the final report of the house panel, which was submitted to the assembly speaker on Monday April 15. The panel notes that the amount spent in Dharwad, Belgaum, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Bidar, Gulbarga, Koppal, Gadag, Haveri, Bellary, Karwar and Sirsi divisions of PWD put together was less than half the amount spent for Magadi taluk alone! It has come to the conclusion that some influential persons in the government was involved with the release of this huge amount, political interference is suspected, and irregularities on the part of the government officials has been established.

The report alleges release of grants against rules, dereliction of duty on the part of officials including the superintending engineer, who approved the works, violation of the need to maintain transparency while calling for tenders, splitting of major works into small ones, etc. The panel has recommended for initiation of disciplinary action against the concerned. Sources said that the report has found fault with the executive engineer, assistant executive engineer, technical assistants and accounts assistants who passed the bills without verifying the works. It is said that on the basis of observation made by the committee, notice has already been issued by PWD to the joint controller in the accounts department.

No other part of the state had received so many grants, and many of the works approved were not even included in the action plan. Approvals for the works were many a time, obtained at the last minute. This issue had been raised in the assembly by opposition leader, Siddaramaiah.  It was also noted that in almost all the tenders, only two contractors, Shankar Magadi and Kemparaju Magadi, had participated.

The under secretary in the PWD department has already suspended Gangadharaiah, executive engineer of Ramanagara division, apart from ordering an inquiry against him, in this connection.

H C Balakrishna of the JDS was the MLA in the region, while H D Kumaraswamy is the MP.