Expert committee recommends complete overhaul of BCC

Expert committee recommends complete overhaul of BCC
Vijay Times

AN expert committee constituted by the Karnataka High Court to study the condition of roads and drains in the City has recommended a complete overhaul of the Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) to restore normalcy .

The committee, in its report, has recommended setting up of three committees namely -- a T echnical Advisory Committee, a Finance Committee to monitor the flow of funds into the BCC and a Committee to check the capabilities of contractors.

The report pointed out that as most of the engineers in the BCC were deputed from the Public W orks Department (PWD), the BCC commissioner would not be able to initiate disciplinary action against these engineers, if they committed mistakes.

The commissioner would only be able to recommend to the PWD that action be taken against the engineers who had erred.

It suggested that the commissioner be vested with powers that would enable him to take action against officials who were functioning on deputation. Departments like engineering and audit had to be strengthened with adequate human resources and technical training, the report pointed out.

T echnical Advisory Committee: The BCC should take up only those works that had been recommended by the T echnical Advisory Committee. The committee, with the help of its technical experts, would study the proposed projects and weigh the pros and cons of the same.

Committee to check capability of contractors: A core committee should be formed b y the BCC to spot those engineers who had technical expertise .

The r eport, which pointed out that a clause under the contract terms and conditions was not being utilised, said the clause pro vides for contractors to get funds under ’mobilisation advancement’ to pro vide financial support to procur e machinery .

I n the event of the contractor utilising the clause, the amount may be reco ver ed from the contractor concerned, the r eport stated. W ork should be tendered according to the capabilities of the contractor concerned and terms and conditions of the T ransparency Act should be adhered to . The BCC should also keep a tab on contractors and ensure that there was no monopoly with regar d to bagging the tenders.

Financial Committee: The government should form a committee to look into the financial aspects of the BCC. The committee should monitor the utilisation of funds to avoid financial irregularities. The accounts department should be held accountable for misuse of funds.

The report also came down heavily against politicians interfering in the work of BCC engineers. Only a handful of contractors were present in the City who had all the necessary equipments to deal with the infrastructure activities of the City , the report pointed out.

Most engineers in the BCC need to be trained to execute the works perfectly . The report, which questioned the need for taking up emergency work, pointed out that most of the works taken up under this were lying incomplete, it said.

COMMITTEE REPORT

lFormation of three committees

lObjection to interference by politicians.

lEmpowering Commissioner to initiate action against erring officials on deputation.

lAwarding tenders to qualified contractors