Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday ordered a probe by the joint legislature committee into an alleged scam in installation of thousands of Reverse Osmosis (RO) water plants across the State by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd. (KRIDL).
As members of both ruling and Opposition parties complained about the dysfunctional water purification plants installed for ensuring potable water to residents of rural and urban areas, Mr. Yediyurappa said “a mega scam” had occurred and the price paid was three to four times higher than the actual rate.
Probe report
The probe report of the joint legislature committee would be tabled in the House, he said. Earlier, Basangouda Patil Yatnal (BJP) said that agencies involved in the execution of the RO water plants had indulged in “daylight robbery” and looted the taxpayers’ money.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who promised action against erring agencies, has now become silent, Mr. Yatnal said.
Araga Jnanendra (BJP) said RO plants costing ₹4-₹5 lakh were installed by paying ₹16-₹17 lakh, and he sought a probe to punish officials or private agencies involved in corruption.
In a reply to Venkatareddy Mudnal (BJP) during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Eshwarappa said he agreed with the Chief Minister’s statement that there was a need to conduct a probe to punish the corrupt.
Mr. Eshwarappa said Max Aqua, Water Life, and Tata Projects have installed plants in the State. According to a survey, nearly 70% of RO water plants are functioning, 26% stopped functioning temporarily, and 4% of them have become dysfunctional.
In Yadgir Assembly constituency alone, out of 123 plants, 29 were not functioning, Mr. Eshwarappa said.
