A contractor in the public works department in Karnataka has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the officials in the rural development department have demanded a 40% commission before releasing payments. This comes after contractor Santhosh Patil, who had accused a state minister of harassing him for commissions, was found dead in a hotel in Udupi last month.
Contractor Yariswamy Nageshappa from Koppal town alleged that the executive and junior engineers among others in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department have demanded a 40% commission to clear his bills.
Yariswamy said the solid waste management unit that he had set up cost Rs 15.15 lakh, of which, Rs 6 lakh is still pending. “I had supplied materials to them. They had made a payment of around Rs 4 lakh. They said go ahead with the work, and we won’t trouble you. But later, they asked me to pay them a percentage,” said Yariswamy.
“They told me to complete the work first, assured me that no percentage would be sought. After the job was completed and the payment stage came, they are now demanding a percentage. How do we trust them?” he asked.
In his letter to PM Modi on April 29, Yariswamy had alleged that he completed works costing Rs 15.15 lakh at a solid waste management (SWM) facility for which authorities were seeking a 30-40% commission. He said he had paid Rs 12,000 twice and Rs 5,000 through PhonePe, as well as Rs 20,000 in cash, and more has been demanded by the officials.
According to the contractor, the local authorities requested him to finish the task, and once 90% of the work was completed, they went back on their promise and did not release the money since he refused to pay the commission.
Meanwhile, Panchayat Development Officer Prakash Sajjanar has denied the commission allegation made by the contractor, and said Yariswamy didn’t submit the required bills and the administration had to deploy another contractor to finish the pending work.
“He had submitted bills worth Rs 4.23 lakh, which was paid to him and other labour charges too were cleared and it is only Rs 2 lakh that the administration owes to him and not Rs 6 lakh as claimed by him,” said Sajjanar.
Earlier in April, the Karnataka State Contractors Association alleged that the Basavaraj Bommai-led administration and elected representatives wanted up to 40% commission, and had written to PM Modi about the alleged malpractices of the state government. The association even decided not to take on any new project until these bottlenecks, including the clearance of pending payments, were resolved.
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