Tushar Girinath.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath on Monday said the civic body has begun action on the double billing issue and has rolled out the process of recovering excess payment.
He also said the BBMP’s internal audit team discovered the double payment, as he responded to the report carried by DH on double billing in a project.
"We detected many instances of double billing,” Girinath admitted. “Wherever we find excess payment, we deduct the amount from future disbursement (to the agency that received excess money). In cases where the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) does not owe anything, we have taken steps to recover the money.”
He said the Additional Controller of Finance has been authorised to check double payments, while also promising action against errant officials. “Will take disciplinary action against the health officer and the engineer for clearing the bills twice,” the chief commissioner added.
The BBMP has, however, not initiated any action against the private firm. "Why the agency, which submitted a fraudulent bill, is not being booked?" a BBMP official wondered.
On Monday, DH carried the news report 'Double billing scandal unearthed in Covid Care Centre contracts', explaining how the BBMP engaged Raja Enterprises to supply beds among other necessary items to set up a Covid Care Centre in the Koramangala Indoor Stadium.
The report stated that the auditors found that the BBMP’s health officer (South Zone) released Rs 1.50 crore to the agency for services rendered between March and July 2021.
Simultaneously, the BBMP’s Projects (Central), South Zone, also cleared an additional Rs 1.51 crore to the same agency for the same services provided between March and August 2021.