Times
of India: Coimbatore: Monday, 11 August 2014.
In what could
be an indication of massive embezzlement and wastage of tax payers money from
the corporation funds for the operation and maintenance of the solid waste
management processing facility at Vellalore dump yard, the corporation has
dodged an RTI query about the total expenditure incurred by the civic body for
its solid waste management since its launch in 2003. The civic body claims that
it does not have any official documents pertaining to the inspections at the
processing plant and details of the officials who sanctioned payments to the
private company involved in the project.
The RTI
applicant had filed his query two years ago and the corporation has been
consistently refusing to share relevant details citing numerous reasons. The
latest incomplete reply came despite the State Information Commission coming
down heavily on the civic body for its delay in furnishing the reply and fining
the Public Information Officer to the tune of Rs25,000 two weeks ago.
"I had
asked for payment details pertaining to the processing fees paid to Coimbatore
Integrated Waste Management Private Limited and details about the total money
spent on the dumpyard since 2003 . But they did not provide complete
information," said KS Mohan, Secretary, Kurichi Vellalore Pollution
Prevention Action Committee.
His RTI
application had also sought details about the inspections conducted at the
solid waste management unit and the specific corporation officials who
conducted these inspections. "The corporation has claimed that it does not
have any files or documents regarding these inspections. How can the corporation
sanction crores of rupees to a private company without any inspection or
supervision of the operations," Mohan added.
On August 08,
corporation commissioner G Latha replied to the RTI applicant Mohan, claiming
that the corporation had paid 1, 06, 83,177 to Coimbatore Waste Management
Private Limited on April 16, 2012 for operation and maintenance of the solid
waste management project. On May 9, 2012, the company was paid 1, 14, 53,879.
The corporation paid 1,27,36,705 and 1,24,47,704 on July 4 and July 16, 2012 to
the waste management firm. In total, the firm received 4.73cr in four
installments. However, she insisted that a copy of the inspection report was
not with the corporation.
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