Covid immunity kits meant for labourers disposed of unscientifically in Parappana Agrahara

BENGALURU: Amid the probe into the alleged Covid scam, immunity kits for labourers were allegedly disposed of by the owner of a wedding hall and his son at Dodda Nagamangala near Parappana Agrahara. The kits, worth lakhs, had been stocked in the wedding hall.

On Thursday, officials of the Labour Departmetn visited the choultry and took stock of the situation.

On Thursday, officials of the Labour Department visited the wedding hall and took stock of the situation.  The immunity kits, containing Chyawanprash Churna, immunity booster powder, marks, and sanitary pads for women, were prepared for distribution among labourers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Contractor Srinivas had reportedly stocked the kits in the wedding hall and had not turned up. Thousands of immunity kits had not been distributed to construction workers and other labourers by the Labour Department. The owner of the wedding hall and his son Manoj allegedly disposed of the kits unscientifically, drawing the ire of locals.

Residents said Srinivas behaved with them arrogantly when they questioned why he was disposing of the immunity kits. They also said that a complaint was lodged with the Parappana Agrahara police and alleged that no action was taken.

Meanwhile, the owner of the wedding hall said, “Srinivas, a contractor, had taken the wedding hall on rent in 2020-21 for a month and said he had to dispose of the items. We had not signed any agreement and he didn’t turn up for two years nor paid the rent. Finally, we managed to trace him and lodged a complaint at the Mico Layout police station. Srinivas then sought some time to clear the stock and pay up the dues. Another one-and-half years passed, but he didn’t turn up”.

“The stocked items had started emanating foul smell and the choultry was engulfed in it. We were also not getting any business. Hence, we are clearing the basement and disposing it of in our own land so that it can be used as fertiliser”, the wedding hall owner said.