BBMP yet to file complaint over missing files related to SWD

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Months after the Karnataka Information Commission's directive, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) remains inactive over a crucial case involving missing files related to Storm Water Drains (SWD) maintenance.

The order, issued on October 13, 2023, instructed the BBMP's Executive Engineer to file a police complaint, yet action is pending as the civic body claims nonreceipt of the order.

This inaction comes to light amidst allegations of fabricated bills and nonexistent work by a supposedly contracted company.

When an RTI activist B Balakrishna sought details on the annual maintenance of SWD, it surfaced that the BBMP lacked any records of the transactions.

Following unsuccessful appeals within the BBMP, the case escalated to the Karnataka Information Commission, leading to the shocking revelation of missing files.

The Commission's investigation concluded with an order for the BBMP to lodge a formal complaint, a directive the body has yet to comply with. Scr utiny over the BBMP's dealings intensified with claims of paying Rs 100 crore to a nonexistent company for SWD maintenance.

Activist Veeresh, leveraging downloaded BBMP bills, alleges significant corruption, accusing the civic body of concealing malpractices by withholding information.

This case has since drawn attention from the Right to Information Study Centre, prompting a complaint to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, urging action against the implicated officials.

As the BBMP stalls on filing the police complaint, the civic body's commitment to transparency and accountability is under scrutiny.

With the case poised for a hearing on March 7, stakeholders await decisive action that could set a precedent for handling similar incidents of alleged corruption within civic bodies.