BENGALURU: It’s been six months since the five-year tenure of the BBMP Council ended, but as many as 122 of the 198 former councillors have not returned their iPads to the civic agency. BBMP, however, says “it’s not their priority.”When the BBMP Council’s tenure ended on September 10, 2020, only 13 of the 198 councillors returned their iPads. The same month, BBMP Council Secretary Hemanth wrote to the councillors, reminding them that they had to return the iPads, which are BBMP property. He had even mentioned that they had to return them within three days. In spite of this, as on Tuesday, the civic agency is yet to get back 122 iPads. BBMP had procured 225 iPads, including for officials.
In 2018, the then BBMP Council passed a resolution, without calling for tenders for the iPads, which is in violation of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act and Transparency Act. They paid Rs 44,000 per iPad, making a total bill of Rs 1 crore. These gadgets were handed over to the councillors within 48 hours after approval.
Though the councillors got the gadgets promptly, they don’t seem to be equally prompt in returning them. A senior official who didn’t want to be named told The New Indian Express that the iPads are good for about three years. “It’s been more than three years and the speed or quality will not be the same. Even if the BBMP election happens now, the newly elected councillors will not use the old ones. So we are not focusing much on it. BBMP has other priorities,’’ the top official said.
Another BBMP official said, “The purpose of procuring the gadgets was to make the meetings paperless, which did not happen. But the Council ended up spending Rs 1 crore. BBMP then was criticised for getting it approved and procuring within 48 hours, while other works take years. Now, if the BBMP is not interested in getting them back, it has to ask these councillors to pay the amount, either in full or partial, failing which they should not be allowed to contest the next election. If the councillors pay up, the cash-strapped BBMP will get some amount which can be used for public works.’’