Members of the North Karnataka Civil Contractors Association (NKCCA) have threatened to stop all government works, if Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai does not drop RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa from the Cabinet and initiate action against him immediately.
Office-bearers of the association held a press meet in Dharwad on Wednesday to respond to the episode involving Santosh Patil, a contractor who had accused the Minister of corruption, and to press for their demand for a high-level inquiry into their allegations of 40% commission for all government contracts.
NKCCA president Subhas Patil said that Santosh Patil, who wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, had also made allegations of 40% commission sought by Mr. Eshwarappa and his assistants. He was harassed to no end by the Minister and his aides for 40% commission to clear his bills of ₹4 crore for the works taken up in Belagavi district, he said.
Mr. Subhas Patil said that Santosh Patil had completed civil works in Hindalga Gram Panchayat, before the annual fair of local deity that was being celebrated after 100 years. Since the works were to be completed before the fair, there was no time for paper work and formalities. The Minister asked Santosh Patil to take up the works without waiting for the tender process. The Minister assured Santosh Patil that he would clear the bills once the works were completed. But the bills were withheld on technical grounds that the tendering process had not been done.
Santosh Patil’s repeated appeals to clear the bills were not heard. Instead, the Minister and his aides demanded 40% commission to clear the bills. Santosh Patil ended his life as he was unable to pay the commission, Mr. Subhas Patil said. The Minister could have easily cleared the bills after the work was done. It happens in many cases. Several times, the government provides post-facto approval to all civil works. It is a routine process for emergent works, he said.
“The charge against Mr. Eshwarappa is serious. The whole State is watching the Bommai Government’s reaction in this case. We urge the Chief Minister to ensure that the bills are cleared and Santosh Patil’s family is paid for the works done. If the Government does not do so, all contractors will launch a strong protest and stop all civil works across the State,” he said.
He said that corruption is rising across all departments. “Recently, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam had invited tenders for the Tubachi-Babaleshwar field canal works and 191 contractors had submitted their tenders. But later the nigam managing director converted the works into a ₹200-crore package and cancelled all the 191 tenders. We have information that this was done after kickbacks were paid from a contractor from outside the State,” Mr. Subhas Patil said.
NKCCA general secretary Ravi Mane was present at the press conference.
