Bengaluru: A day after Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar suggested that a scam had taken place in setting up water testing laboratories, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil admitted that a Rs 190-crore scam had taken place.
Refusing to own responsibility over the scam, Patil said that there were gross violations in the tender process. He has ordered a CID probe into the issue and also cancelled the tender order of Rs 71 crore for 46 new laboratories which are meant to test quality of water.
It may be recalled that on Friday Shettar said Patil had indulged in nepotism and had awarded the tender to a single individual’s companies for setting up these labs in 146 taluks. He had also demanded Patil’s resignation and cancellation of tenders.
Patil said that he would reveal the reasons behind the delay in setting up pure drinking water units in the month of July.
