BANGALORE: Former Mayor P R Ramesh has lodged a complaint with Lokayukta seeking a probe into alleged irregularities in release of Storm Water Drain (SWD) funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).Palike had approved remodelling of SWD in 2004 when Ramesh was the Mayor.The officials then estimated Rs. 350 crore to remodel SWDs in all four valleys -- Hebbal, Vrushabavathi, Koramangala and Challaghatta.“There were 15 packages and Palike had approved and issued the work orders.We had even given a time frame of 18 months for contractors to complete the work.But, it did not take off at all,” said Ramesh. Later in 2005, the same projects were awarded to the same contractors. But this time, estimation cost shot up to Rs. 643 crore.Again, Palike set a deadline of 18 months with the contractors expected to complete by 2007. Yet, it was not ready.According to Ramesh, BBMP had spent Rs. 415 crore as against the original estimate of Rs. 643 crore. He further explained that contractors were just removing silt from these SWD, instead of remodelling. “When I asked the contractors to show the silt they had removed, they told me to check in few places.But there was no nothing there,” he added. Once again in March 2011, Palike had revised the total cost of the four projects to Rs. 925 crore.Even after that, work had not been completed. Palike was misleading the public. “I had written a letter to the Central Government four months back informing them about this issue,” he said.Ramesh, who lodged the complaint with Lokayukta in July 2011, received a reply from them a few days back. “Now, Lokayukta is asking me to give more details on the issue. I am not an investigation authority.It is their job to probe,” he said.
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