Bescom's partying cost us 25 lakh...
... Reveals reply to an RTI application. And then it has the nerve to send out feelers about hiking power tariff
S Kushala kushala.satyanarayana@timesgroup.com
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=BGMIR&showST=true&login=default&pub=MM&AW=1318570826613
Ask Bescom what austerity means and they'll probably tell you it's about you switching off the lights and fans. As far as they are concerned, life is about living it up. At least that's what its HR department's expenses suggest.
Fed up with talk of a hike in power tariff, the citizen objectors of Forward 68, a civic action committee comprising M V K Anilkumar and G Gajendra who participate in Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) meetings on power tariff hike, had applied for information on Bescom's HR expenses through RTI. And here's what they found.
Bescom's HR expenses from 2005-10 show that it's been rather generous in giving business to five-star hotels like Hotel Grand Ashok, Le Meridien, Atria and Taj Residency.
"Bescom organised a function even for the chief minister's flood relief fundraising programme. This is the irony. While officials are having a gala time at the cost of the organisation, it's the consumers who are made to pay for high power charges," says Anilkumar.
A certain Raghavendra Marriage Decorators bags arrangement contracts and charging hefty bills — Rs 250 to rent an inauguration lamp, Rs 200 to rent a brass Ganesha idol, etc. In all, nearly Rs 25 lakh has been spent on dining, decoration, photos and videos. Digest this:
» Oct 13, 2009: Inauguration of Nirantara Jyothi by the chief minister near Hoskote. Thibbadevi Tent House's bill: Rs 10.59 lakh for stage and venue decoration.
» March 25, 2009: Launch of Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP). Radha Photos and Videos' bill: Rs 78,312. Media Tech's bill for arranging the backdrop: Rs 25,908. Hotel Atria's bill: Rs 2.19 lakh.
» March 18, 2006: High tea, banquets, etc. Grand Ashok's bill: Rs 1.09 lakh.
» June 23, 2006: Farewell party for managing director G Kumar Naik. Taj Residency's bill for a buffet dinner: Rs 1.05 lakh.
» May 16, 2007: Farewell for MD Gonal Bhimappa and signing of joint statement between Bescom and rural development utilities programmes. Grand Ashok's bill: Rs 1.54 lakh.
» Dec 11, 2009: Farewell for KERC chairman K P Pandey. Taj West End's bill: Rs 43,380.
» April 8, 2010: Dinner in honour of M R Sreenivasa Murthy who was appointed KERC chairman. Le Meridien's bill: Rs 88,309.
» May 8, 2006: Chief minister's function at Hoodi. Raghavendra Marriage Decorators' bill for stage decoration: Rs 96,000.
» June 23, 2006: Inauguration of rural business hubs and signing of MoU between gram panchayats and Escoms. Grand Ashok's bill: Rs 1.12 lakh.
CITIZENS OBJECT
WHAT FORWARD 68 presented at the KERC meet on Sept 22 to discuss the proposed power tariff hike: "We have submitted a detailed representation explaining with facts and figures how the average cost of procuring power can be reduced and the average sale price for Bescom set as Rs.4.17 per unit. In addition, the foreign jaunts for training and other purpose of officials for the benefit of the organisation. We understand that some officials who went on such trips are transferred out within a short time, making the trip a total waste. Bescom should cut down avoidable items of expenditure like hosting lavish farewell parties and functions."
CITIZENS OBJECT
WHAT FORWARD 68 presented at the KERC meet on Sept 22 to discuss the proposed power tariff hike: "We have submitted a detailed representation explaining with facts and figures how the average cost of procuring power can be reduced and the average sale price for Bescom set as Rs.4.17 per unit. In addition, the foreign jaunts for training and other purpose of officials for the benefit of the organisation. We understand that some officials who went on such trips are transferred out within a short time, making the trip a total waste. Bescom should cut down avoidable items of expenditure like hosting lavish farewell parties and functions."
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