Stop racing at Bangalore Turf Club from Dec 2: PAC

The Public Accounts Committee of the Karnataka Legislature on Tuesday directed the government to stop all racing activity at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) from December 2.

The committee, headed by former minister H K Patil, took serious note of lapses in the functioning of the BTC.

“The committee has unanimously decided that all racing activity must be stopped from December 1 and that the government should charge all dues from the race course organisation before December 1,” a statement from Patil’s office said.

The PAC decision has been conveyed to Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works) Rajneesh Goel, who attended the meeting.

According to the PAC, the BTC is estimated to owe Rs 32.86 crore to the government, which is 2% of its turnover as annual rent, between 2010-11 and 2017-18. The amount it was supposed to have remitted to the government between 1989 and 1998 is still due, the PAC noted, and that the BTC had been giving just Rs 5 lakh annually “causing huge losses to the exchequer according to CAG and PAC reports that have raised serious objections.”

With it's land lease period having expired in 2009, the BTC has been facing the threat of eviction and the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

“Officials have been citing this as an excuse. It has been decided to direct the government to take necessary legal steps within one month to clear the SC case,” the PAC said.