Karnataka Legislative Assembly Bengaluru By Y Maheswara Reddy300 portable toilets were installed for police and other officials during the annual session in Belagavi last year. The contractor charged Rs 1,000 per toilet per day for 10 days. But a bill of Rs 1.29 crore has been raisedSince 2006, the Winter Session of thehas been conducted over 10 days at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.Attending the Belagavi session is a tough task for many state government employees because they have to be out offor that period. However, it seems there are some fringe benefits for a few of them, as it spells a chance to pocket some money out of the state exchequer. And there’s an opportunity at every corner.Take the case of portable toilets. Last year 300 portable toilets were put up near Suvarna Soudha through the 10 days of Winter Session. The government officials claimed of spending a whopping amount of Rs 1,28,85,600 on portable toilets.However, the math does not add up. “Last year, I supplied 150 portable toilets for 10 days in November. I collected Rs 1,000 per toilet per day (including transportation). Another contractor supplied 150 of them,’’ says Diwakar Pimpalkar, proprietor of 3d Environment Services.The Session had lasted from November 13 to 24. If Diwakar Pimpalkar is correct, then the government spent Rs 3 lakh each day on rent, making the total expenditure Rs 30 lakh. However, the two bills submitted by government officials were of Rs 69,38,400 and Rs 59,47,200.Former Speaker K B Koliwad said that he has nothing to do with the money spent for conducting the Assembly session in Belagavi. “The Commissioner of Police, Belagavi, was responsible for providing the amenities, including security during the Session,’’ says Koliwad.There are other bills too that raise suspicion. Think upwards of Rs 2 crore for snacks and beverage and more than Rs 5.8 crore for pandals. The expenditure on snacks, coffee and tea, supplied by Mayur Aditya Resort, for Chief Minister’s Secretariat and other officials was Rs 2,63,60,800. The officials spent Rs 4,32,17,736 for a pandal around Suvarna Soudha and Rs 22,07,898 for another one in the Banquet Hall and Rs 1,26,54,320 for a third pandal for the benefit of journalists, senior officials and marshals.“The 10-day legislative session has become a boon for some officials. It helps them to pocket money by preparing fake bills,’’ says Bheemappa Gundappa Gadad, a RTI activist from Belagavi. Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar was not available for comment.However, expressing shock over the amount, former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde opined that the public should protest. “We have to stand up and protest against corruption. You submit the documents to Lokayukta for a probe into this matter,” he said.

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