ED notice to BBMP chief over alleged scam in installing RO units in 5 zones

BENGALURU: The Enforcement Directorate has served a notice to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath on November 25, in an alleged scam running into crores over illegal sinking of borewells and establishing reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water plants.

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating a case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 2002 against the Joint Commissioners, Chief Engineers, Executive Engineers, former corporators and contractors of five zones, namely Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Yelahanka and Bommanhalli.

A complaint was lodged against the officials for allegedly misusing their powers while discharging their duties (from the period 2016 to 2019) in drilling bonewells and installing water treatment plants (RO units) for use by residents  these zones.

The ED has sought details of the number of borewells sunk and the RO units installed in these zones in the city. The central agency has also asked for details about the expenditure running into Rs 949 crore for the project.

BBMP chief Commissioner Thushar Giri Nath said we are providing required information to the ED.

B S Prahalad, Chief Engineer, BBMP, who is now collecting information in response to the ED notice. BJP leader N R Ramesh had complained about the scam to the ACB in 2019 which was later taken up by the ED.

The government has released Rs 949 crore for borewells and RO plants in 2018-19. Of this, Rs 671 crore was released for borewells wellsand Rs 156 crore for construction of RO plants. The Palike had promised that it will sink 9,588 borewells wells. According to records, the BBMP spent Rs 6 lakh on each borewell and Rs 16 lakh each on the construction of 976 RO plants.But the Palike installed only 49 borewells and five RO plants from 2016 to 2019. N R Ramesh had given 273 pages of documents to the ED related to the alleged scam.

Thushar Giri Nath, the BBMP Chief Commissioner, told media, “The ED has sought information on the installation of RO plants from 2016-19 in the outskirts of the BBMP. A complaint was first filed with the ACB, after which it was referred to the ED. We received the notice in November. In this regard, I have appointed Chief Engineer Prahalad as Nodal Officer. We have given all the information to the ED. It is said that there is corruption mainly in five zones of the Palike. The ED is currently conducting an investigation, and we will provide them with all the relevant information”.

To a question on the BBMP blacklisting Chilume Trust, the Chief Commissioner clarified, “We had issued a notice to the Chilume organisation to provide information within three days. But we did not get a reply from them even after 15 days. So we decided that Chilume will not be given any work from BBMP or related elections”.