Did you take my ‘okay’ before hiring 10,100 cots, Yediyurappa asks civic staff
BENGALURU:
Following the report by theBengalurulive on July 12 of how BBMP ‘lost the Covid plot in Bengaluru but created a 10,100-bed illusion’, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa lost his cool and lashed out at civic officials during the Covid task force meeting on Monday.
The meeting, which held at the CM’s official residence, was attended by, among others, Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Health Minister B Sriramulu and Chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar.
The CM reportedly lost his cool when he saw the BBMP officials and questioned them on how, without bringing the matter to his notice, the civic administration had decided to hire cots, mattresses, tables, fans and other items at an estimated Rs. 72 crore for the gargantuan Covid Care Centre at the BIEC premises on Tumkur Road.
thebengalurulive was the first to break the story on Sunday, July 12 under the title ‘BBMP loses plot, but creates a 10,100-bed illusion’ (Read here: https://thebengalurulive.com/bengaluru-gets-huge-10100-bed-covid-care-centre/), which highlighted the fact that BBMP would be paying Rs 800 per day per bed for the next three months.
The matter was brought to the Chief Minister’s notice the very same day, but as he was under home quarantine himself, he did not speak to the civic administration right away, preferring to wait for the Monday afternoon meeting at his official residence.
“This is irresponsible behaviour. How can BBMP officers take a decision to rent cots, mattresses, bed sheets, fans, blankets, tables, chairs by spending a huge amount of taxpayers’ money, without bringing it to my notice? Who will reply to the taxpayers? Such kind of behaviour won’t be tolerated,” the CM reportedly warned the civic officials.
Thereafter, Yediyurappa ordered the officials to purchase the required items, which could be used later by government hospitals as and when the need arose.
Meanwhile, he also took the officials to task for not purchasing ambulances, for which sufficient funds have been allotted.
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