BBMP lodges FIR against contractors for threatening suicide over pending bills

Bengaluru (IANS). The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has registered an FIR against contractors threatening to commit suicide over payment of pending bills. Due to which a new twist has come in the ongoing conflict between the contractors and the Congress government in Karnataka.

BBMP officer Mahadev has lodged a complaint at the High Grounds police station.

Sources confirmed this on Thursday. An FIR was lodged against KT Manjunath, president of the BBMP Contractors Association, and 57 others.

This development has once again brought the issue of pending bills to the fore. The Congress government in Karnataka has tightened its stand on the issue of releasing pending bills, alleging large-scale corruption.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has reiterated his tough stand on pending bills.

He had said that the bills would be paid after the investigation. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had said, their government had not allotted a single work to contractors and all bills were for works approved and implemented from the previous BJP government.

Shivakumar had said that bills worth Rs 25,000 crore have been deposited and the available funds were only Rs 650 crore.

However, the pending bills of the contractors who have worked honestly will be cleared and their interests will be protected.

He also said that the bills are pending for two to three years. Contractors cannot blackmail for prompt payment of bills.

A committee headed by a retired judge will submit the report and bills will be issued accordingly.

The BJP and a section of contractors had alleged that Shivakumar was demanding 15 per cent commission for pending bills and hence withheld the clearance. The contractors have met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and sought his intervention.

The Contractors Association has softened its stand and made it clear that Shivakumar did not ask for commission.