Bengaluru, April 19 : Social activist and whistleblower Alam Pasha alleged that the RDPR department, headed by former minister KS Eshwarappa, has flouted the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) rules to usurp part of a central fund by providing just eight days for contractors, instead of 30 days to participate in tenders amounting to Rs 5,500 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission. The KTPP norm was flouted to accommodate fake companies and demand 40 percent cut-money from them for taking up work under Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide drinking water facility to rural people in the state, he told reporters in a press conference here. “The tenders having value of Rs 5,500 crores have been intentionally provided for 8 days, wherein, as per KTPP Act, all tenders in excess of Rs 2 crore in value need to be provided with 30 days time to submit a bid. Thus adequate time was not provided for participation. Logically there was no urgency to close the bidding in 8 working days, whereas, the implementation takes a minimum time of 30 months and more,” he said. “The accused, thereby, fixing 40 per cent illegal commission on Rs 5,500 crore, has already decided to accommodate fake companies where he (Eshwarappa) has obtained the pec ary gain and gratification,” he added. Pasha also alleged that Eshwarappa and his officials framed the tender rules without getting approval from the tender committee as per the rules for tenders worth Rs 5,500 crore. “Tender rules are made to accommodate inexperienced and incompetent persons or entities with malafide intent to select bidders of their choice,” he alleged. He has also filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate the tender process followed by the department. Pasha also alleged that Eshwarappa would have destroyed the files pertaining to Santosh Patil’s tender. Pasha also held that previous governments run by the Congress and JDS were responsible for the increase in corruption. He also rued that the ministers are able to demand cut-money without the fear of getting trapped as previous governments ensured turning Lokayukta into a dead institution. BDN SHK1641
