PWD officers inspect hostels

Discrepancy found in purchase of mattresses

Since the allegation surfaced, five teams of officials visited several hostels in the district separately and spoked to the press about the misuse of funds.

The Joint Director of the Department, Chandrashekhar Murthy led the team of five officials first visited the District Office of the Department in the City. The team also visited hostels in Kolar taluk. Devaraj led the team to Malur, Shivaji to Srinivaspur, Baligar to Mulbagal. Under instructions from the Department Commissioner, the officials paid a surprise visit to the hostels.

Mattresses, blankets and pillows of good quality have not been purchased. Information regarding this matter will be reported to the Commissioner, they said. The Deputy Commissioner himself is the President of the Purchase Committee. The officials were asked if the Commissioner will be held directly responsible for the discrepancy. In response, they said that although the Commissioner heads the Committee, the projects are put into effect by the district and taluk level officers. Therefore, the Commissioner cannot be responsible, they added.

Funds worth Rs 36 crore have been sanctioned for purchase of mattresses, blankets and pillows for the hostels all over the state. The district has been given Rs 2.5 lakh.
The system of tenders was introduced to ensure transparency in affairs. Therefore, such discrepancy only makes it distressing, the officials said.

It might be a problem in the entire system of tenders. The officials added that they are investigating if contractors and officials also have had a hand in the malfunction.
The officials said that they tried to pay visits to as many hostels as possible in the day. “We will only supply information about the conditions. Taking decisions is not in our hands,” they confirmed.

Background

Zilla Panchayat members had made a serious complaint in the joint meeting about misuse of funds in purchase of mattresses.

As a result, Zilla Panchayat President G Mangamma Muniswami had paid a surprise visit to certain hostels in the City on July 20. She too had discovered prima facie discrepancy in the purchase of tenders.

She had found that the mattresses purchased for the students in the hostels were worth only Rs 500 although Rs 3,000 was paid for them. Similarly, tumblers worth Rs 20 were bought for Rs 80. Extremely costly tenders were drawn for materials worth Rs 3 crore, Mangamma had alleged.

She had called upon other organisations to investigate the matter.