Lokayukta court orders probe in complnt on BBMP waste disposal

Lokayukta court today ordered probe against Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Commissioner Rajneesh Goel and 11 other officials in a private complaint alleging irregularities in waste disposal in the city, which has resulted in a huge loss to the state exchequer.

Lokyukta court Judge N K Sudhindra Rao directed Superintendent of Police (Lokayukta) Bangalore Urban, to investigate under section 156 (3) CrPC into the complaint filed by former Mayor of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (which later became Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike), P R Ramesh and submit his report by January 24.

Ramesh had stated that he had filed the complaint to unearth the illegalities indulged by BBMP Commissioner and other officials who are the "tender inviting authorities" and "accepting authorities", as a result of which public money is being siphoned off by the private persons causing a "huge loss to the state exchequer and burden to the tax payer".

The loss was not limited to one month or an year, it was a continuous one because of the illegality to reduce the buffer zone around the main landfill in Mavallipura, to facilitate realtors in and around the area in clear violation of Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) (Management and Handling) Rules 2000, Ramesh stated.

Besides, Goel, others accused in the complaint are Ananthaswamy, Chief Engineer Solid Waste Management, Amita Prasad, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, K Jyothiramalingam, former Principal Secretary Urban Development department and eight other officials who are executive and superintendent engineers.

Ramesh had prayed to the court to take cognisance of the offence committed by the accused under section 13(1)(c) & (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sought punishment for them under section 13(2) of the Act and related provisions of the IPC.