U'khand Info Commissioner recommends CBI probe in Kumbh Mela

The Information Commission of Uttarakhand today recommended to the Chief Secretary a CBI probe in alleged financial irregularities worth Rs 180 crore during the Haridwar Kumbh Mela in 2010 when the BJP was in power in the state.
Information Commissioner Anil Sharma has sent the recommendation on the plea of an RTI applicant who had alleged that there was no account of Rs 180 crore of central funds sent for organising the Kumbh Mela.
Through a series of RTI applications trustee of a Dharmshala, Ramesh Chandra Sharma brought to the notice of the Commission that Congress-led UPA Government had given a grant of Rs 565 crore to the BJP government in the state for the conduct of Mela in 2010.

He alleged that 54 works for public remained incomplete during the Mela which caused inconvenience to devotees coming from across the world to Haridwar on auspicious occasion.
Sharma alleged that CAG of Government had carried out a secret inquiry which showed that out of 311 works worth Rs 565 crore sanctioned to 34 departments of the state government 54 works worth Rs 180 crore remained incomplete.
The applicant had alleged that responses to RTI applications show that nodal officers were lackdiasical in not depositing funds in the Mela Officer account. He also alleged that the then state government did not carry out any vigilance inquiry in the matter.

In his order, Information Commissioner Anil Sharma took note of the issues raised by Ramesh Sharma and forwarded the complaint with all the annexure to the Chief Secretary with instructions to decide on a CBI inquiry.
The Information Commissioner known for his maverick orders on public interests has been facing death threats from the lobbies against whom he had issued similar orders in the past.
He was given threats for his directives to carry out CBI inquiry into implementation of NRHM in the state but has not been provided any security cover in Uttarakhand.