Madikeri: The Codava National Council (CNC) has accused the City Muncipal Council (CMC) of siphoning funds through dubious contracts and contacts to benefit few in various development works including underground cable, drain and construction. In a strongly worded letter dated April 6 to Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Urban Development at the Centre, M R Seetharam , Minister for Planning, GoK, with copies to state Lokayukta, Anti Corruption Bureau ( ACB), central and state agencies, the Codava organisation has demanded raids and a thorough probe into the utilisation of funds.
The CMC has hinted of scams in three projects which include Reliance Jio under Ground Cable network contract, underground drainage excavation misused to run parallel multimedia cabling and granting permission to construct a 7-floor building on Hill Road against norms.
In the first case, CNC has hinted at CMC entering into a contract with Reliance company for laying underground cable network, covering 21 kms distance at a cost of Rs 2.1 Crore (Rs 1000/ meter distance). They allege that the terms of the contracts were changed so that Reliance could execute the entire project for only Rs 50 Lakh to benefit a group of CMC members and officials. The amount paid in bribes to officials and CMC members is about Rs 50 Lakh and CNC feels Reliance company made profits of Rs 1.10 Crore whereas the CMC lost Rs 1.6 Crore in total.
In the second case, CNC has accused the usage of underground drain network sanctioned at a cost of Rs 12 Crore to cover a distance of 124 km drain being misused by cable mafia to run parallel network without obtaining any permission from CMC or government, thus causing huge losses. If one goes by the same yardstick of Reliance Jio contract , then the cable mafia has benefited around Rs 12 Crore considering the length of 124 kms while using underground drain network to run the parallel cable network within the city without spending a rupee on their own.
Such shady deals are done in connivance with the leading telecom companies in business, CNC has alleged. They went onto allege the illicit liaisons of KEB officials with cable networking companies. The Codava organisation has accused KEB officials of working hand-in-glove with the cable mafia causing huge financial losses to CMC.
In the last case, CNC talks of violation in granting permission to a 7-storey building. Citing the existing law, which permits the construction of new building with 3 floors including ground floor, CNC has accused CMC members and officials for having allowed the owner to put up massive building on Hill Road near market place with 7 floors. This has been done to extract huge sum from the building owner, CNC has stated.
They have also accused the incumbent CMC Commissioner Shubha of harassing office staff to pay “Haftha” every month using some confidantes.
Tourism aiding illegal activities and harbouring anti-national elements
The district known for quality tourism is at crossroads where tourists are mercilessly cheated by the touts and agents, CNC has alleged and went on to add that most tourists are led to cheap unregistered home stays after collecting huge amounts. They have alleged unauthorised spice trade giving huge margins to vehicle drivers to lure tourists. The money thus generated is used for anti-national activities, CNC has alleged naming ISIS.
They have urged Prime Minister Modi to take stern measures in order to safeguard National Integrity and Security. They have said the very purpose of upgrading the town municipality to City Corporation is lost where the officialdom has failed to walk in the path of stalwarts who managed the the civic body’s affairs namely, K Mallappa, P A Moideen and K S Appachhu in their letter.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to PM Modi, Home minister Rajnath Singh, state Governor Vajubhai Valaa and MLA K G Bopaiah.
