JOIN USLeader of the Opposition in Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday charged the State government with violating Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP)Act in awarding a contract for selling electricity metres on behalf of Bescom.
Raising the issue, Eshwarappa said that the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) in August 2013 gave the contract to Kolkata-based Landis and Gyr to sell meters for six months through its outlets, without calling tender.
Exemption was given under KTPP Act for awarding the contract. The company got extension for another six months in February 2014. The Bescom had fixed the cost of a meter at Rs 1,190.
Eshwarappa said that same company had bagged the contract to sell meters in 2011 for two years after going through a tender process. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was holding the Energy portfolio till January 2014.
He later gave it to Shivakumar. Further, in March 2014 permission was again granted to sell the meters to two companies – Landis and Gyr and Larsen and Toubro-- for one year without calling tender. Any contract above Rs one lakh should be awarded through the tender process, as per the KTPP Act.
“Why the Bescom did not call tenders? This is a clear violation of the Act. It has been done deliberately to favour the companies. All those responsible for the violations should be exposed and punished by conducting either Lokayukta or House panel probe,” the BJP leader said.
Though the Minister admitted to the lapse and said that he would immediately cancel the contract to the companies, he rejected the BJP’s demand for a probe.
Inquiry
“Extensions were given as supply of meters was an emergency work. The previous BJP governments too have given contracts without calling tender on several occasions,” he stated and added that he would get an inquiry conducted from an officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary.
The BJP members staged a dharna pressing their demand, but the minister refused to budge. As the argument continued, the two leaders traded charges.Eshwarappa directly accused Shivakumar of taking bribe.
The minister hit back describing the BJP leader as ‘King of Corruption,’ forcing Chairman D H Shankaramurthy to adjourn the House for the day.