<p>The government has appointed a senior official from the Audit and Accounts Department to investigate the ‘Rs 17-crore scam’ in the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).</p>.<p>The Finance Department has issued an order appointing Mahadeva, Additional Director of the Audit and Accounts Department, following a request for an audit by the Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre.</p>.<p>Documents show that the KSPCB, in February this year, approved an expenditure of Rs 17.85 crore. A ‘Single Source Committee’, headed by KSPCB Chairman Shanth Thimmaiah, approved the procurement of services from private agencies without calling competitive bids as per the law.</p>.<p>The rule was introduced as a measure to avoid arbitrary decisions which were usually linked to corruption.</p>.<p>The latest development comes in the wake of an order by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate the matter.</p>.<p>As per the complaint raised by MLC P R Ramesh, Thimmaiah and other officials bypassed the rules under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act and awarded work orders worth Rs 17 crore to five agencies.</p>.<p>The committee comprised an official each from the Tourism and Information and Public Relations Departments as well as Suresh Bhagavatula, a professor at the Indian Institute of Management. A KSPCB officer was made member convener.</p>.<p>The MLC had alleged that the expenditure of a huge sum during the fag end of the BJP government and in the run-up to the election. “The services were procured for an awareness programme which didn’t have any framework,” Ramesh had noted.</p>.<p>Sources said the minister looked into the documents and made a file noting requesting a detailed inquiry. “The entire file has been sent to the Finance Department requesting for an official to scrutinise the KSPCB’s expenditure,” the sources said.</p>
<p>The government has appointed a senior official from the Audit and Accounts Department to investigate the ‘Rs 17-crore scam’ in the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).</p>.<p>The Finance Department has issued an order appointing Mahadeva, Additional Director of the Audit and Accounts Department, following a request for an audit by the Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre.</p>.<p>Documents show that the KSPCB, in February this year, approved an expenditure of Rs 17.85 crore. A ‘Single Source Committee’, headed by KSPCB Chairman Shanth Thimmaiah, approved the procurement of services from private agencies without calling competitive bids as per the law.</p>.<p>The rule was introduced as a measure to avoid arbitrary decisions which were usually linked to corruption.</p>.<p>The latest development comes in the wake of an order by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate the matter.</p>.<p>As per the complaint raised by MLC P R Ramesh, Thimmaiah and other officials bypassed the rules under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act and awarded work orders worth Rs 17 crore to five agencies.</p>.<p>The committee comprised an official each from the Tourism and Information and Public Relations Departments as well as Suresh Bhagavatula, a professor at the Indian Institute of Management. A KSPCB officer was made member convener.</p>.<p>The MLC had alleged that the expenditure of a huge sum during the fag end of the BJP government and in the run-up to the election. “The services were procured for an awareness programme which didn’t have any framework,” Ramesh had noted.</p>.<p>Sources said the minister looked into the documents and made a file noting requesting a detailed inquiry. “The entire file has been sent to the Finance Department requesting for an official to scrutinise the KSPCB’s expenditure,” the sources said.</p>
