Lokayukta furious over diversion of funds meant for Lokayukta office

Lokayukta furious over diversion of funds meant for Lokayukta office

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 13: Lokayukta Justice N. Santhosh Hegde has severely criticized the state government for allegedly diverting funds meant for the construction of a new Lokayukta office in Mangalore and has vowed to work from the old building in the DC’s office. Stating that he will deal with the government in his own way, he said that he will continue working in the old office till it collapses.

Criticizing the BJP-led state government for spending Rs. 25 lakhs on each member of the Indian cricket team, which won the World Cup, but having no funds for the construction of a new Lokayukta office, the Lokayukta claimed that this is a deliberate attempt on the part of the government to ensure the absence of a Lokayukta office in Mangalore and rubbished all the excuses given by engineers, claiming them to be “ridiculous.”

Revealing further details, Justice Hegde said that the Lokayukta was given an old building in the DC’s office, which the PWD felt was quite unsafe and recommended the construction of a brand new building for the Lokayukta. Stating that the Lokayukta especially wanted an office in the DC complex to enable people to easily access the office and lodge their complaints, he said that the Lokayukta had persuaded the government to provide a temporary building while constructing a permanent building in the DC complex. He said that the government, which wanted to place the Lokayukta office in a remote area and not within the DC complex, gave excuses that no land was available nearby for the Lokayukta office. When he pointed out that the Lokayukta had requested a new building in the same place where the old building now stands, he received a report from an engineer stating that the soil is unsuitable for construction. The Lokayukta pointed out that there are many buildings in the DC complex and that they have been standing there for several years, adding that only the Lokayukta building, which is nearly 2 centuries old, was considered unsafe when the Lokayukta expressed its desire to make it a permanent office.

Stating that the above-mentioned reason forced the Lokayukta to accept a building in Urwa Market, the Lokayukta said that he recently learned from an MLA that the funds earmarked for Lokayukta building have been diverted for the construction of a court in Moodubidri. Alleging that the government is least interested in the Lokayukta and that it is eager to slow down the construction of a Lokayukta office in Mangalore, the Lokayukta said that he will continue working from the old office till the building falls, and if it falls, the authorities concerned will be held responsible for it.

Urging the media to highlight issues that really matter, he said that the diversion of funds meant for the construction of a Lokayukta office in Mangalore is ridiculous and condemned the state government of complaining of lack of funds just when the entire country is mulling over the idea of launching anti corruption campaigns. He stressed that people should know that the government has no money to construct a Lokayukta office, but has plenty of money to spend on the Indian cricket team for winning the World Cup.