The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Asking for ‘bribe’ costs BBMP staff dear

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 25, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Asking for ‘bribe’ costs BBMP staff dear

Staff Reporter

Upa Lokayukta
seeks explanation from the three

BANGALORE: She could have paid a bribe of Rs. 700 and collected her son’s birth certificate in a day. But Gayatri Giri, granddaughter of a freedom fighter, refused to pay up, and decided to fight it out.

Ms. Giri, a resident of C.K. Street in Palace Guttahalli, refused to be tempted by offers from officials of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to cough up “speed money” for quicker results though she had a deadline — her son’s school admission — to meet.

Her determination to secure the document without paying bribe has now landed three BBMP officials in trouble following notices issued to them by the Upa Lokayukta.

Birth certificate

The school authorities had asked Ms. Giri to produce her son’s birth certificate on February 20. She approached the BBMP office in Malleswaram, which covers M.S. Ramaiah Hospital where her son was born, the previous day.

Subba Rao, a clerk, directed her to the BBMP’s Registration of Births and Deaths Office housed in the Public Utility Building on M.G. Road where the certificates are issued. He allegedly offered to arrange for the certificate, but at a cost of Rs. 700.

Ms. Giri approached Joint Director Narayanaswamy, who directed her to submit an application to the Manager, Ramakrishna, at the M.G. Road office. After paying up the requisite fee of Rs. 110, she requested Mr. Narayanaswamy to process the application highlighting the urgency.

But when Ms. Giri came to collect the certificate on Febrauary 20, she found that her application was pending with Kumar, a clerk. Later, she was allegedly asked to collect the certificate by paying Rs. 200 to the clerk, which she refused to do, and finally received the certificate after much argument.

Suo motu

Upa Lokayukta G. Patri Basavanna Goud has taken suo motu notice of the “misconduct” of Ramakrishna and clerks Kumar and Subba Rao after Ms. Giri narrated her experience to him.

Investigations will be conducted under Section 9 of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. Notices have been issued to the three BBMP personnel seeking their explanation.

Ms. Giri said that it would not have been difficult for her to give money and get the certificate. “But being the grand aughter of a freedom fighter, I was firm on not paying bribe.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka