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Expensive taste: Our chief minister wants more than an Ambassador these days |
Even as the government plans to set up an inquiry committee to probe corruption charges against board chairman H C Sharat Chandra, documents with MiD-DAY show that Yeddyurappa and environment minister Krishna Palemar have misused Karnataka State Pollution Control Board's (KSPCB) cars and also influenced the transfer of officers in the board.
"Everyone knows that the transfers of officials have become a parallel trade in Yeddyurappa's government," a source in KSPCB told MiD-DAY. "The chief minister himself has signed hundreds of recommendation letters, an indication of the depth of the racket."
Several letters signed by the chief minister ask the chairman of the board to transfer officers from rural areas to Bangalore urban centres. Interestingly, most of the places are considered lucrative, as the possibility of getting bribes is greater in the city.
Transfer orders
The notings on the recommendation letters show how keen officers in the chief minister's office were to follow up the cases.
For instance, Yeddyurappa asked the chairman to transfer Shanmukhappa, an environment officer posted in Shimoga, to the regional office in Bangalore and the notings recorded later on the letter say the member secretary of the board had received five phone calls from the personal secretary.
The gazette notification issued in 1993 based on the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1983 says the placement of the staff is the board's prerogative.
"The government has no business to intervene in such matters as the board is a statutory body," said a source. "The recommendation from the government authorities amounts to irregularity."
There are instances where the board has received letters from the CMO asking for cars to be sent to the chief minister's residence.
Letters signed by Krishna Palemar direct the chairman to send Skoda cars for his use.
What car?
When MiDDAY called Palemar, he could not recall asking for the cars. "I don't remember when I sent such letters," he said.
"Even if I have asked for them it would be for official purposes and what is wrong in that?"
An officer in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) said, "If any minister wants a car he can place a requisition with the DPAR or he can use his department car. It is not right to ask a statutory body for cars."
The chairman of KSPCB offered no comment.
