MP D V Sadanand Gowda has instructed the Deputy Director of Horticulture not to pay money to certain companies until the next instruction, from whom copper sulphate worth Rs 47 lakh has been purchased under National Horticulture Mission (NHM).
He was addressing the review meeting of a district level committee to monitor the implementation of Central government’s schemes in Madikeri on Friday.
Former MLA Appacchu Ranjan had earlier complained that much misappropriation had been done while purchasing copper sulphate worth Rs 47 lakh under NHM. Rs 30 extra has been fixed per kg of copper sulphate, and hence misappropriation of about Rs 10 lakh has  been committed, he alleged.
However, Horticulture department Deputy Director H R Naika clarified that tender process had been done transparently by giving advertisements in state-level newspapers also. Copper sulphate had been purchased in such rates in which the companies supply them to other districts, hence there has been no misappropriation, he justified.
However, dissatisfied by his answer, Mr Gowda instructed him not to make any payment to the companies until he gives next instruction. The MP also instructed the officials no to release money for those who have written boards in Gram Panchayats under National Employment Guarantee Scheme.
MLA K G Bopaiah had complained that Rs 5,200 had been spent to write one board each regarding the details of various projects in GPs. “More than Rs 1,000 is not required to write one board. Even the people have been brought from Chitradurga instead of Kodagu to get the boards ready,” he criticised.
Regretting that even the ZP President did not consider the issue seriously, he urged the MP not to release the money in this direction too. Responding to this, Mr Gowda asked the Executive Officers of all the three taluks not to release the expenditures.
ZP President H S Ashok, Deputy Commissioner K R Niranjan were present.