Decision will be taken after probe, Karnataka CM on irregularities in MUDA land allotment
Bengaluru: Amid controversy over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) under the 50:50 scheme for land losers, and investigation is underway to ascertain whether there is any misuse in any allotment of MUDA plots. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday stated that a decision on this will be taken after receiving a report from the team of senior IAS officers, who are investigating the matter.
He said, “An investigation is being carried out to find out whether there are any irregularities in the government body. All the plots have been put on hold. So there is no loss to the government. Those who have been allotted plots are being transferred and are being investigated by senior IAS officers.”
Responding to BJP’s allegations of misuse in MUDA land allocation and demand to transfer the case to CBI, the Chief Minister said, "Why are you saying to hand over everything to the CBI? Which case was handed over to the CBI when the BJP was in power. It was the BJP which made the law to allot land as an alternative for those who had given the land.”
ALSO READ: CM's wife "illegally" allotted alternative land in Mysuru, alleges BJP; Siddaramaiah denies charge
Furthermore, responding to Opposition leader R. Ashoka’s calls for the Chief Minister’s resignation, he stated, "I have no role in this case."
In addition, speaking about the Valmiki Corporation embezzlement case, he said the case has been handed over to the SIT and the investigation is going on. “Nagendra, the Minister for Tribal Affairs, has resigned. He has resigned because it was written in the corporation’s employee’s death note that the ministers had given a verbal order to the managing director for the embezzlement, the CBI has investigated the bank transactions.”
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'Low-quality' catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal health department has launched a probe into the supplies of allegedly low-quality and locally made catheters at a high price to several government hospitals, posing a risk to the lives of patients undergoing treatment in these facilities, officials said.
Such central venous catheters (CVCs) were allegedly supplied to at least five medical colleges and hospitals in the state, defying allocation of international standard-compliant CVCs, they said.
The distribution company, which has been accused of supplying these catheters to government hospitals, admitted to the fault but placed the blame on its employees.
"We started checking stocks some time back and found these locally made CVCs in my hospital store. These catheters are of low quality as compared to those allocated by the state. We have informed the state health department," a senior official of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital told PTI.
Low-quality catheters were also found in the stores of other hospitals, which indicates "possible involvement of insiders in the scam", a health department official said.
The low-quality CVCs were supplied by a distributor in the Hatibagan area in the northern part of Kolkata for the last three to four months, he said.
"Such kinds of local CVCs are priced around Rs 1,500 but the distributor took Rs 4,177 for each device," the official said.
A CVC is a thin and flexible tube that is inserted into a vein to allow for the administration of fluids, blood, and other treatment. It's also clinically called a central line catheter.
"An initial probe revealed that the distribution company Prakash Surgical had supplied the low-quality and locally manufactured catheters to several government hospitals instead of the CVCs of the government-designated international company.
"All the units will be tested and a proper investigation is on to find out who benefited from these supplies," the health department official said.
The distribution company blamed its employees for the supply of inferior quality catheters.
"I was sick for a few months. Some employees of the organisation made this mistake. We are taking back all those units that have gone to the hospitals. It's all about misunderstanding," an official of the distribution company told PTI.
According to another state health department official, a complaint was lodged with the police in this connection.
Asked about how many patients were affected by the usage of such low-quality CVCs, the official said, "The probe would also try to find that out".
According to sources in the health department, some of the staff of the hospitals' equipment receiving departments and some local officials of international organisations might be involved in the alleged irregularities.
