Lok ayukta is now flooded with civic woes

The lok ayukta, apart from solving cases of corruption and with politicians, is now engaging in solving civic disputes as well, following the rise in the number of complaints against civic agencies during the last five years.

The maximum number of complaints is against the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

In 2006, a total of 93 complaints and cases were noted and in 2010, the total number has increased to 248. This is apart from the number of cases which the Upalokayukta receives.

“We have booked cases against the departments based on the irregularities brought to our notice by citizens or after going through media reports. We undertake a detailed research in the subject and then report the same to the concerned officials and file cases. There are many against the department of urban development on how to supervise and related to construction,” lok ayukta justice N Santosh Hegde said.

He pointed that there have been instances where notices have been issued to officials of the concerned departments against irregularities in construction, but after which the buildings have fallen.

Some of the examples are the collapse of the Shantiniketan building in Whitefield in 2009, and the building collapse in Bellary this year in which 29 people died.

According to statistics obtained from the lok ayukta office, in 2006 a total of 93 cases were recorded of which 83 were disposed off.

In 2007, 116 cases of 63 were disposed off, while in 2008, 79 out of a total of 142 cases were disposed. In 2009, the total cases were 187, of which 80 were disposed and in 2010, only 79 were completed out a total of 248 cases.

Interestingly, every year the maximum number of cases are against BBMP, of which 50% are pertaining to engineering works like faulty construction, irregular procedures being followed, misappropriation in release of funds and encroachment.

The remaining 50% comprises plan violations and unauthorised constructions.