Haveri contractors seek mercy killing over unpaid dues by Karnataka government
Haveri: The contractors in Haveri district have reportedly threatened to seek mercy killing if the Karnataka government fails to clear their long-pending dues totaling Rs 738 crore by the end of April.
The contractors alleged that years of unpaid bills, coupled with rampant corruption and mounting debt, have pushed them to the brink of desperation. “The contractors in the district would be forced to seek mercy killing if the government failed to clear the pending dues by April-end,” Mallikarjun Haveri, taluk president of Haveri district contractors’ association, was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald.
The association claimed that commissions ranging from 10 percent to 15 percent commission for the works in the district are being demanded by officials and middlemen in several departments, including the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR).
“The contractors borrow money at high interests to execute the works. We paid a commission hoping that they would clear our dues. The middlemen are sucking contractors’ blood,” Mallikarjun alleged.
“In Haveri district, bills amounting to Rs 200 crore is pending with the Public Works Department, RDPR has to clear Rs 138 crore in dues to contractors and Rs 400 crore is pending for the works announced during the previous BJP government,” he added.
Meanwhile, the contractors had staged a protest demanding payment of their long-pending dues during the winter session of the state legislature in Belagavi. In response, the Public Works Minister had then assured them that the bills would be cleared in phases by the end of March. However, the RDPR, KNNL, and the Minor Irrigation Department have yet to release payments amounting to several crores.
“Now, the contractors are urging the government to either settle their dues or permit them to opt for euthanasia,” the contractors’ association office-bearer said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
