After two decades of waiting, no site, no refund of advance for members of Secretariat Employees Housing Society. Society’s Board of Directors dismissed following misappropriation of funds. Major irregularities found in all sites are allotted to co-op members near Kogilu
The State Secretariat Employees Housing Co-operative Society members, who had paid advances for sites as early as 20 years ago, are caught in a helpless situation with neither sites nor advances refunded as the Board of Directors has been dismissed following misappropriation of funds to the tune of over Rs 50 crore.
Hence, there is no one to either allot sites or refund the advances. Since six members of the Board of Directors, including the president, were dismissed, according to the Co-op Act 1959, elections are also put on hold. Members have paid up to Rs 8 lakh in 2004. Neither the money is refunded, not sites allotted. Worst, there is no action taken against the accused.
In this context, the members have taken an initiative, led by senior employee Ganesh to start an agitation. The members met Joint Controller and submitted an appeal to initiate criminal proceedings against the 13 office bearers, including Special Officer to Health Minister Parashivamurthy, Vidhana Parishad Secretary Srinivas and others.
The Secretariat Employees Housing Society had come into existence in 1982. A layout was formed in 2004 and sites allotted to 300 members. Of them 100 were employees and 200 were outsiders co-opted. That was a violation.
Again in 2004, 3 layouts were formed near Kogilu, Yelahanka and 500 sites were allotted. An MOU was signed with developers Bhargav and Jayasurya. Rs 67 crores were agreed to be paid for his purpose. By 2005 it was changed and the developers were asked to allot 10 lakh sq ft land instead of individual sites. For this purpose Rs 85 crores were paid to the developers.
The developers gave only 5 lakh sq ft instead of the agreed 10 lakh sq ft. Senior officer Ganesh had challenged this in the court. HC had ordered an inquiry into this. It was found out that there was misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 50 crores.
Recently layouts were made in 3 phases near Bengaluru north taluk, Yelahanka Hobli Gasti Kempanahalli village. All the 118 sites here were allotted to co-opt members who are outsiders. As per the Co-Op Act only 10 per cent can be allotted to co-opt members. More than 200 members have made advances of Rs 7.5 lakh each from 2004. But none of them have been allocated sites.
Two members Nagesh and Dinesh are dead but no efforts are made to either sanction sites or refund the advance to their family members.
N Narasimhamurthy, president, State Secretariat Employees Association has said that the misappropriation by previous Board has caused the entire functioning of the society to come to a stand still. Elections may take place in future and sites may be allotted, he said.
