Rs 400-cr scam in Malaprabha project, says Jagadish Shettar

 BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Friday said a Rs 400-crore scam is brewing in the Malaprabha canal modernisation work taken up by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam.

Shettar told reporters in Bengaluru that the Nigam, which functions under the water resources department headed by Minister M B Patil, has switched over from the piece contract system to package system to favour one contractor. The Malaprabha irrigation project is mainly confined to Dharwad district.

The Malaprabha canal work comprises modernisation of left and right canals besides remodeling of distributory and redistributory canals. The piece contract was planned for Rs 40 crore. The same has been cancelled. A special package worth Rs 964.53 crore has been announced for two works - modernisation of main canal and distributory system. Tenders have been invited but this is just to help one contractor named Bhajantri, Shettar said.

The BJP leader said a drone camera was employed to take images of the survey being carried out. This is just to mislead farmers to give an impression that the government is seriously attending to canal modernisation work. Though the tendering process is on, the contractor has already begun work on the ground, Shettar said.

The Nigam transferred two engineers - S A Patil and Bhajantri - for refusing to co-operate with the Nigam for switching over to the package system.

Interestingly, M B Patil has issued a newspaper advertisement stating that the canals would be modernised at a cost of Rs 1,330 crore. “In 1960, the Malaprabha related works began at Rs 30 crore. Now it has jumped from Rs 964 crore to Rs 1,330 crore. But the scope of the work has reduced. The scam seems to be not less than Rs 400 crore,” he said.

Shettar said the chief minister should look into the irregularities and order an inquiry, he added.