Hundreds of civil contractors took out a protest march in Dharwad on Wednesday seeking intervention of the State Government to curb corruption pervading across various government departments.
The protest march was taken out under the aegis of the Karnataka State Contractors Association from Kalabhavan in Dharwad to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The protesting contractors said that corruption has been growing in various departments and the previous government had failed to curb the menace. And, now, it has further increased forcing the contractors to take to the streets to protest against the growing menace and expose the real face of various government officials, who, they said, have been harassing them for long.
The protestors said that as commission being sought by officials has seen a steep hike, the quality of the works being carried out is getting deteriorated. The contractors said that corruption is at its peak in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Water Resources, Minor Irrigation and the Public Works departments.
They said that a contractor bagging a tender is forced to pay commission of up to 40% for getting bills cleared. From the day tenders are floated, corruption begins and the contractors are forced to pay at every level till their bills are cleared, they said.
They said that the Karnataka State Contractors Association in its executive body meeting resolved to stage protests in every district to highlight the menace and to seek the government’s intervention in checking corruption and safeguarding the interests of the contractors. A massive rally will be organised in Bengaluru at a later date, they said.
During the protest that began from Kalabhavan, the contractors marched silently to the Deputy Commissioner’s office wearing black badges. The protest was led by State assocation president D. Kempanna and other office-bearers M.S. Sankagoudashani, V. Krishna Reddy, K.S. Shanthe Gowda and G.M. Ravindra.
The assocation has decided to hold a mega protest in Bengaluru in the month of January in which around one lakh contractors are expected to participate. They have said that if the government failed to intervene, then they would approach the President, the Prime Minister and national BJP leaders.
