Stop all BTC activities from Dec 2: PAC to state govt

Bengaluru: The Public Accounts Committee of the Karnataka Legislature on Tuesday directed the state government to stop all activities at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) from December 2, and to collect dues that it owes.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by senior Congress legislator H K Patil that met on Tuesday discussed the BTC and its eviction, with respect to the CAG report in this regard.

The committee has unanimously decided that the government should take steps to collect dues that the race course owes to it before December 1, and that all activities there must be stopped from December 2, a statement from Patils office said.

It said the decisions of the PAC have been conveyed to Additional Chief Secretary to the government.

The PAC said it is estimated that the BTC owes Rs 32.86 crore to the government, which is 2 per cent of its turnover, in the form of annual rent, between 2010-11 and 2017-18.

It said also without remitting the prescribed amount since 1989-98, BTC has been giving just Rs 5 lakh annually, causing huge losses to the exchequer according to CAG and PAC reports that have raised serious objections.”

Despite its land lease period having expired in 2009, BTC continuing to function there despite successive governments deciding to take over the land, has been taken note of by the PAC at the meeting, the statement said.

Also when the matter went to court, the High Court in a 2010 ruling in favour of the government gave the land to it.

Subsequently, officials, citing that the matter was now pending before the Supreme Court as an excuse, have been delaying any action, and this has been viewed seriously by the PAC, it said.

It has been decided to direct the government to take necessary legal steps within one month with regard to the SC case, the statement added.

The PAC has also asked the government to submit a detailed action taken report by December end.