Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Complaints pour in at public hearing in Gulbarga

Special Correspondent

Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta spend over six hours hearing grievances Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta spend over six hours hearing grievances

WOES APLENTY: Lokayukta Santosh Hegde and Upa Lokayukta Patri Basavanagoud listening to a petitioner on the lawns of the Iwan-e-Shahi Government guest house in Gulbarga city on Tuesday.

GULBARGA: It was a virtual deluge of complaints at the public hearing held by Lokayukta Santosh Hegde and Upa Lokayukta Patri Basavanagoud, on the lawns of the Iwan-e-Shahi Government Guest House.

Both Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta spent more than six hours to give a patient hearing to the complainants, who came with petitions on issues ranging from non-payment of pension to the alleged misuse of funds by officials of the Gulbarga City Corporation.

Fund misuse alleged

Referring to the complaint filed by the Janata Dal (United) working president Raju Kulageri about the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for development works in Gulbarga city by the Gulbarga City Corporation, Mr. Hegde said a team of Lokayukta officials from Bangalore would be deputed to Gulbarga to conduct an on-the-spot inspection of the works executed by corporation officials.

Laying of footpaths

Dr. Kulageri said while the corporation claimed to have spent Rs. 55 lakh for laying footpaths in 11 areas, in reality, footpath was laid in one locality only.

Similarly, he pointed out that of the total Rs. 9.5 crore sanctioned to the corporation under the Chief Minister's package, the corporation had spent Rs. 7.5 crore in a record 12 days and submitted utilisation certificate to the Government. Taking a serious note of the complaint, the Lokayukta sought details from the Deputy Commissioner Pankajkumar Pandey, who is administrator of the corporation, and Commissioner Mudhol. Mr. Pandey said that after he took over as the administrator he had initiated audit of all the works executed by the corporation and it was yet to be completed.

The Lokayukta also pulled up PWD officials for not implementing the orders of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal for payment of pension to Yeshwant Rao who had retired in 1983 on the plea that the SR records of the employee was missing.

The Lokayukta said it was the duty of the department to maintain the SR records and if it was missing, another record should be made and pension paid.

A total of 116 complaints were filed before the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta in Tuesday's sitting which extended beyond 7 p.m..

Call to advocates

Addressing members of the Gulbarga Bar Association here at another function, Mr. Hegde stressed the need for advocates to take up public cause, redress grievances and create legal awareness among people. Mr. Basavanagoud was honoured on the occasion along with Mr. Hegde.

Principal and District Sessions Judge B.A. Muchandi was present. Bar Association president B.A. Kalburgi welcomed the gathering.

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