Karnataka contractor dies by suicide over family issues, non-payment of bills by KRIDL
Davangere: A 48-year-old contractor died by suicide allegedly due to non-clearance of his bills for the work he executed for a state government body, police said on Saturday.
PS Goudar took the extreme step on May 27 and left behind a suicide note in which he held his family members, including his brothers, and the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) responsible for his death.
In the suicide note, the victim alleged that his family members caused him mental stress over the matter of ancestral property. Besides, the non-clearance of bills for the works he completed on the premises of the Agriculture department at Santebennur in Channagiri taluk, which was assigned to him by KRIDL last year also led to financial stress.
Both the issues allegedly drove him to take the extreme step, he stated.
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However, police verification revealed that Goudar was not a licensed contractor.
Based on the suicide note and complaint from his wife, a case was registered under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code against five people, including his family members and KRIDL.
"We are looking into the allegations made by him and are verifying facts. Our investigation is underway," a police official said.
Meanwhile, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said he has ordered the constitution of a committee of senior officers to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on these allegations against the corporation.
"I have instructed the ACS (Additional Chief Secretary), RDPR (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department) to form a committee of senior officers to enquire and submit a report on these allegations on KRIDL," he has said in a post on 'X'.
He further added that KRIDL is an engineering corporation and sub-contracting isn’t encouraged.
I have instruced the ACS RDPR to form a committee of senior officers to enquire and submit a report on these allegations on KRIDL.
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) May 31, 2024
KRIDL is an engineering corporation and sub contracting isn’t encouraged. pic.twitter.com/FWzgl5mFoi
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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.
