Smells of corruption in Pollution Control Board (KSPCB)

 ₹17.85 crore illegal in awareness program; A complaint to the government from the member secretary

Smells of corruption in Pollution Control Board (KSPCB)

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The State Pollution Control Board, which is supposed to eliminate many filth in the state, has messed up its yard due to personal conflicts and irregularities.

 In a meeting of the 'Single Source Committee' chaired by Board Chairman Shant Thimmaiah, ₹17.85 crore worth of awareness programs were directly given to the agencies in violation of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act-1999 (KTPP). The board has also given approval and mandate for these awareness advertising programs for a few months before the assembly elections. Now the bill amount is pending release.

 In the meeting held on January 30, the contract worth ₹17.85 crore was approved to be awarded to specific agencies. Also approved for issue of purchase order. All this is a violation of the KTPP Act and the member secretary of the board, Suri Payala, has written a letter to the government saying that action should be taken in this regard. The Principal Secretary of the Department of Environment and Biodiversity wrote a letter to him on July 3 and gave all the information approved in the 'Single Source Committee' meeting.

After this letter case, there was conflict in the board and the chairman Shanth Thimmaiah has withdrawn the post of joint secretary in addition to IT director Suri Payala. Many cases have been mentioned in the recall order that Suri Payala has also exercised his authority in violation of the rules.

 What is awareness program?: The board meeting gave approval to four agencies to display awareness programs of State Pollution Control Board in the form of advertisements on buses, residential areas. Sai Advertisers have been approved to introduce GST as 'branding fee' on 2000 buses of KSRTC and KKRTC and 100 buses of BMTC Volvo.

 Adon Mo Agency has been given a month's advertisement at 400 bus stands in Bengaluru to display the ad on 4,692 screens approved by DAVP (Directorate of Audio and Visual Programmes).

 It was also agreed in the meeting to issue a purchase order to Benaka Automotives to display advertisements on the bus panels of North-West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation in Hubli and put up 22 hoardings in Haveri district.

 Action as Act; Money not released: Shant Thimmaiah

 There is an opportunity to carry out awareness programs directly. However, I made the Committee as Single Source Agencies as per Section 4(b) of the KTPP Act, where it was discussed, programs were given to agencies approved by the Government. After this, the matter was proposed and approved in the board meeting as well. After the awareness programs are completed, the bills are received from the agencies and the committee headed by the member secretary has been assigned to review them. No report was received from that committee. So not even a single rupee has been released to any agency. I have not violated any law and I will not," said Shant Thimmaiah, President of the State Pollution Control Board.

 Demand a thorough investigation

 The Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board and some officers have directly entrusted the responsibility of awareness advertisement programs to private companies in violation of the KTPP Act. During the previous government's period, this was the pretext of misappropriation of public money under the guise of awareness before the assembly elections. Incompetent and incompetent President and concerned officials were found to have committed corruption. Thus, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should be urged to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate all the decisions and resolutions taken by the State Pollution Control Board during the term of this President, former member of the Legislative Council P.R. Ramesh said.

 Awareness program: Who is allowed?

 agency; content; duration; amount

•  Sai advertisers, Chokkasandra, Peenya; mass awareness program by 'Bus Branding Media' about State Pollution Control Board; 2 months; ₹3,40,80,000
•  Adan Mo Rethinking Out Door Advertising, Bangalore; branding and advertising in housing societies; 3 months; ₹7,53,41,508
•  Sign Post India, Halasur, Bangalore; OOH (Out of Home Out Door) advertising across Bangalore; 1 month; ₹5,43,84,000

•  Benaka Automations, Jayanagar, Bangalore; Awareness advertisement about State Pollution Control Board in buses across the state; 1 month; ₹1,47,36,000
• Total; ₹17,85,41,508

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