Ashoka alleges Rs 133-crore Bengaluru waste management tender scam, demands Lokayukta probe

Bengaluru, Oct 24: Karnataka Assembly Opposition Leader R Ashoka on Saturday alleged large-scale irregularities in tenders worth Rs 133 crore for waste management and transfer stations in Bengaluru, accusing the Congress government of favouring an allegedly ineligible company and demanding a Lokayukta investigation.

Addressing a press conference here, Ashoka alleged that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had awarded a contract to Muniyappa Enterprises despite the company failing to meet the prescribed financial eligibility criteria. He demanded cancellation of the tender and a high-level inquiry into the alleged irregularities, including the role of officials and possible political interference.

Releasing documents related to the tenders, Ashoka claimed that the company had recorded an annual turnover of Rs 3.34 crore in 2023-24, against the stipulated requirement of Rs 10 crore. Its turnover in previous years was reportedly between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore, he said.

He further alleged that additional security deposits amounting to nearly Rs 13 crore had been waived in two tender packages despite objections from the Finance Department.

According to Ashoka, an additional security deposit of Rs 6.79 crore was due under Package 2 and Rs 5.99 crore under Package 5. However, the amounts were not collected despite directions from the Finance Department.

He claimed that Letters of Acceptance were issued on May 22, 2026, followed by work orders from Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), without collecting the stipulated additional security deposits.

Ashoka also alleged that negotiations were not conducted with other eligible bidders to bring down the tender rates, depriving the government of an opportunity to obtain more competitive prices.

Questioning the tendering process, he said tenders covering 21 packages for waste transfer stations had been floated without identifying the land required for the proposed facilities.

Demanding immediate action, Ashoka sought the seizure of all files relating to Packages 2 and 5, a detailed examination of the successful bidder's eligibility and disclosure of the sites identified for the transfer stations.

He said he would write to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar seeking cancellation of the tender and warned that failure to act would raise questions about the government's involvement in the alleged irregularities.

The Opposition leader also criticised the government's waste collection charges, claiming that the monthly fee for apartment residents had increased from Rs 40 to Rs 400. He alleged that residents were being threatened with disruption of regular garbage collection if they failed to pay the charges.

Ashoka further accused the state government of failing to provide adequate relief to drought-hit farmers. He claimed that the announced assistance of Rs 2,500 had not reached beneficiaries and that payments under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme and pensions for persons with disabilities were also pending.

On crop insurance, he alleged that the state government had failed to release its share despite the Centre having provided its contribution. He also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in e-Khata services, claiming that citizens were being forced to pay bribes to complete property registrations.

Ashoka said he had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had asked him to share updates on political developments in Karnataka every two or three months. He said he would continue to brief the Union Minister as requested.

The allegations concerning the Bengaluru waste management tenders were made by Ashoka at the press conference.