Justice Santhosh Hegde lays foundation stone of new Lokayukta office

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 31: The Public Works Department (PWD), the Mangalore division of the Port and Inland Water Department, and the Karnataka Lokayukta jointly organized the foundation stone laying ceremony of the office building of the Lokayukta near the office of the Zilla Panchayat on Jan 31, Monday. Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde laid the foundation stone in the presence of Deputy Speaker N. Yogesh Bhat, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, and ZP CEO Shivashankar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lokayukta also inaugurated the formal stage programme at the Zilla Panchayat Hall and declared in his inaugural address that he accepts and welcomes the brand new office building of the DK Lokayukta. Speaking further, he said that the state government must give the Lokayukta full independence to work freely, adding that the Lokayukta can function smoothly if its officials get privacy.

He also said that the government had assured the Lokayukta that a building will be provided for it in the premises of the DC office, but had later said that an office will be set up at Urwa Store. He added that if the Lokayukta office is established near the government offices, government workers can easily be prevented from indulging in corrupt activities.

The Lokayukta can provide the best service only if the public and the district administration respects it, he said and added that, although 500 people including politicians supported the idea of conducting the ceremony, only two and a half ministers attended the actual ceremony. He explained that Coastal Development Authority Chairman Nagaraj Shetty can only be considered “half” because he arrived late.

Justice Hegde also said that the Lokayukta officials have investigated around 1,600 cases in the past 4 years, some of which involved IPS and IAS officials. In Jan 2011 alone, the Lokayukta police had arrested 34 government officials were arrested for accepting bribe. 

Expressing regret that the benefits of government schemes are not reaching the public because of some government officials, he said that the Lokayukta is always against the ruling party. He said that the state government has already recruited 291 new Lokayukta officials, but the new office will require many more stenographers and other employees. The government is providing all the facilities in installments, he commented.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Speaker N. Yogesh Bhat said that DK expects a corruption-free society, but corruption is a mental problem arising from greed. He also assured the Lokayukta of his support.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and B. Nagaraj Shetty, the chairman of the Coastal Development Authority, also spoke on the occasion.

Karnataka Lokayukta Inspector Moosa Kunni Nayar Moole delivered the welcome address. Balakrishna of the PWD department proposed the vote of thanks.