Show cause notice issued against Chikkaballapur CMC

 The State government has issued a show cause notice against the City Municipal Council president, the vice-president and members, based on a complaint by the Municipal administration claiming that the council has misappropriated funds.

The notice has been issued on the behalf of the government by K V Ramappa, the under-secretary of the Urban Development Department. The council president, vice-president and members have been ordered to present themselves at the office of the commissioner of Directorate of the Municipal Administration at 11 am on September 6. “Action will be taken against them if they fail to be present,” Ramappa said.

The notice has been sent under Karnataka Municipal Act of 1964, article 316, after a probe team from the Directorate of the Municipal Administration in 2010, investigated the alleged violation of laws and misuse of power.

By law, a general body meeting is to be conducted once a month, according to the Municipal Act 1964, Article 47 (1). Although the Chikkaballapur council had called a general meeting on October 24, 2009, it failed to call any meetings for the next 14 months.

According to the audit report for the year 2007 to 2008, Rs 2,11,10,603  has been spent by the council. It is unclear what this money has been spent on as the report states that the above-mentioned sum had not been approved in the budget. Moreover, the report also states that the Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT) scheme, a project that is now 20 years old also has not been completed in the city.

Technical rules flouted

The council has spent Rs 7,12,8,18 to buy water supply tools without following rules, said the Assistant Controller of Audit. It is alleged that prior approval had not been obtained while procuring material worth Rs 7.17 lakh as provided under the rules of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement.

The misappropriation of funds also include the purchase of 200 sodium vapour lights without calling a tender. Each light, which is of 250 watts, costs Rs 6,540. This is against the Karnataka Transparency Rules (4) (E) and government regulations.

The audit report also charges that Rs 4,27,782 which have been allegedly spent on repairing motor pumps — a sum which is ‘questionable’ as bills have not been submitted for the work done. Transparency rules have also not been followed regarding expenditure on drinking water. Three quotations of Rs 50,000 have been called as per the S R rate and work has been completed. Borewells have been sunk under the State Finance Commission without calling a tender. But income tax regarding the funds have not been recorded in the account book.

Though there is a rule that projects should not be implemented with piece contracts, most works carried out by the council have been completed through piece contracts. The report blames the Council Commissioner and Assistant Executive Engineers for this. Auditors also said that rules have not been followed when calling tenders for the total sanitation scheme during 2009-10.

Without the approval of the Deputy Commissioner, temporary tenders were called to fix sodium vapour lights at Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Colony. The council has also been accused of purchasing various tools for tannery and 26 sewing machines at a cost Rs 32,000 and 98,000 respectively.