From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jan 23: In an obvious bid to turn the tables against opposition BJP for raising charges against chief minister Siddaramaiah on the Arkavathy layout issue, Transport minister B Ramalinga Reddy has urged the chief minister to order a probe into the alleged large-scale irregularities in BJP-controlled Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) over the last 10 years.
Reddy, who is Bengaluru district in-charge minister, told reporters in Bengaluru on Friday that “hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees had been spent during last ten years to take up road repairs, housing, construction of culverts, removal of silt, renovation of buildings, in which large scale irregularities were committed in awarding the works.’’
The minister stoutly refuted the accusations of the BJP leaders that the Chief minister should be blamed for the poor quality in execution of various works undertaken by the BBMP.
The minister claimed that the BBMP had failed harness revenue from erecting advertisement hoardings across the BBMP region and had been issuing illegal Khathas in various localities, causing huge revenue loss to the civic body.
He demanded a through probe to unearth the irregularaties and said: ``I have written a letter to the chief minister in this regard.’’
“Let the chief minister take a decision on deciding the agency for conducting the probe. It could be by the Lokayukta, CID or any other body,’’ he said.
Reddy also favored a probe into the alleged stashing of BBMP’s works file in the residence of the Congress MLA, Munirathna Naidu, found during a Lokayukta raid in the city recently.
Referring to the chief minister’s remark on the poor quality of works done by the BBMP, he said that “the chief minister’s remark is based on the reports of the BBMP authorities, which has been now twisted by the BJP leaders.’’
Refuting the contention of BJP leaders that majority of the civil works had been pocketed by the Congress workers, he said: ``It is the BBMP Council’s decision, where the BJP is the ruling party, to entrust the responsibility to call for tender to the KRDCL.’’
“As per the desire of the BJP leaders in the BBMP, the civil works worth over Rs 817 crore had been given to the KRDCL and it is unfair to blame the Chief minister," he said.
The minister attacked the BJP ruled NDA government at the Centre for cancelling the JNNRUM scheme to improve the infrastructure system in the selected cities and towns in the country.
“Thanks to non-release of the fund from the centre, no new works would be taken under the JNNRUM scheme in the city,’’ he added.