Additional Chief Secy. to probe KMF 'irregularities'

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, AUG. 2. The Minister for Cooperation, Mr. D.K. Shivakumar, told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government would be asked to inquire into irregularities alleged to have been committed in the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Federation (KMF).

Replying to a call attention notice on the subject, he said that the official would be asked to submit his report within one month. He added that though he was willing to order an inquiry into the affairs of the federation by his department, the members were unwilling. He also noted that the members had strayed into the affairs of other dairy agencies such as the Mother Dairy in Bangalore.

The notice had been sent by Mr. K.H. Hanume Gowda (BJP), Mr. A. Manju (suspended BJP member), Mr. H.M. Revanna, Mr. C.M. Lingappa and Mr. B. Shivaram (all Congress).

The Assembly witnessed a minor furore for quite some time with some Opposition members clashing among themselves during the discussion on the issue of irregularities in the KMF.

Mr. Shivakumar said the Government, on coming to know of the irregularities, had asked the gazetted assistant to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to inquire into the allegations and fix responsibility.

Not satisfied with the reply, Mr. Manju said that the KMF was being misused by some persons for their selfish ends, and these persons were being protected instead of being proceeded against. Mr. K.B. Mallikarjuna and Mr. B.N. Bachche Gowda (JD-U) raised objections against the member going into the details of the issue, and their contention was upheld by the Chair, which asked Mr. Manju to only seek a clarification.

That, however, did not deter Mr. Manju from demanding a CBI inquiry. He said that the KMF obtained funds for the welfare of SCs and STs, and that it deposited the money in a bank to show profits.

When Mr. Bachche Gowda again raised an objection, Mr. Manju said he would stage a dharna in the well of the House if he was not allowed to speak.

Mr. C. Chennigappa (JD-S) criticised Mr. Manju's statements, but the Chair ordered that the proceedings would not go on record as the members could not be heard in the din.

KMF Chairman's tour: Mr. Manju also said that the KMF Chairman had spent Rs. 40 lakhs on a tour to Switzerland. However, the destination in his tour programme was mentioned as Israel, though the purpose of the visit was not known. Any inquiry should cover that aspect, he added.

Citing another ``case of irregularity'', Mr. Manju said half an acre of the four acres of land at Koramangala in Bangalore that the Government gave to the KMF had been sold to a Gujarat company without permission. The Government should supersede the federation, he demanded.

Mr. Revanna welcomed the inquiry into the irregularities and sought a time-limit. He said that without the permission of the Registrar, the federation had set up a Rs. 1.30-crore factory for manufacturing sachets.

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