BELAGAVI: It has come to light that a sum of Rs 4.80 lakh has been spent on the flowers to decorate the garden at Raj Bhavan in the span of three years.
A RTI has revealed that a whopping Rs 3.27 crore public money has been spent on the maintenance of Raj Bhavan garden in Bengaluru merely in the span of three years (2014-15 to 2016-17).
About Rs 11.59 lakh has been spent as wages for daily-wagers working in the Raj Bhavan garden in the same three years' span, Rs 2.95 crore on concept, master plan and development of garden, Rs 15 lakh on seeds of vegetables, saplings, fertilisers, red soil, etc., Rs 52,000 on fuel for brush cutter and power tiller and about 4.80 lakh on flowers to decorate flower pots in various sections of Raj Bhavan including Governor's residence, dinning hall, main office, VIP lounge.
RTI activist Bheemappa Gadad has expressed shock over the way Karnataka government spent such a huge amount from the state exchequer on the development of a garden and said, about Rs 5 lakh spent merely on flower to decorate pots had been extremely shocking.
Gadad sought to know as to why were public not allowed to meet Governor Vaju Bhai Vala ever since he assumed charge in 2014 and said, he hardly responded to people's grievances.
Gadad questioned the style of working of officials at Raj Bhavan which he labelled as "not people-friendly."