An inquiry report by Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat has indicted the Government Employees Housing Cooperative Society of Shivamogga, headed by C.S. Shadakshari, who is also State president of the State Government Employees’ Association, over the illegal dredging of Muddana tank at Abbalagere on the outskirts of Shivamogga city.
K.C. Sangappa, Executive Engineer of the Panchayat Raj Engineering Division of Shivamoppa ZP, in his report, submitted to Deputy Commissioner R. Selvamani on July 13, said that silt (soil) from the tank was removed illegally to benefit a private layout, besides causing a loss of royalty of ₹71 lakh to the State government.
The DC had ordered the Panchayat Raj Engineering Division to probe the issue following a complaint by B. Jagadeesh, general secretary of Shivamogga District Congress Committee. He had alleged that a huge quantity of silt had been removed from the tank, flouting the norms. The Executive Engineer and his staff inspected the tank, spread over 35 acres and four guntas at Survey Number 119 of Abbalagere and submitted the report.
