Mysore: With the state government making no move to order a CBI or Lokayukta investigation into the alleged misconduct of former director general (DG) of the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Amita Prasad despite her several appeals over the last couple of months, the present DG, Rashmi V Mahesh, has sought 24- hour police protection for all files in the institute’s confidential record room.
Ms Rashmi had in her report to the Chief Secretary deplored the government’s reluctance to order an inquiry into the alleged Rs 100 crore scam despite her many letters since August 4 this year, saying it had “sent murky signals to some of the hostile ATI employees and vested interests who seem to have taken advantage of the government’s ambivalence.”
Meanwhile, the officer has continued to take several steps to change the way ATI functions. Besides coming out with a revised training programme calendar, she is also conducting interviews for faculty and deciding on the contracts of agencies in charge of the mess, housekeeping, stationary and so on, which were allegedly awarded in contravention of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act by her predecessor.
A contract for catering and housekeeping given to Bharani Hospitality Services, allegedly in violation of the KTTP Act, has now been cancelled.
“The tenderer was given business without following rules and tender conditions. The contract signed mandates that the tenderer possess a food license from the Mysore City Corporation, but it did not.
A sensitive issue of food for trainees has been handled in such a callous manner totally bereft of any responsibility and accountability,” Ms Rashmi charged in her report to the Chief Secretary. She has also claimed that most of the staff at the ATI were beneficiaries of the earlier system of administration.
“Some are also tenderers who reaped rich rewards. So most are openly hostile to the new system where accountability has been increased and leakages reduced,” she said.
