(This story originally appeared in on Nov 29, 2016)

BENGALURU: Scams are not new to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), but when the misused amount adds up to Rs 934 crore, it calls for a dramatic pause.Then, when one realizes that the money was spent on salaries for 6,600 non-existent pourakarmikas over a period of 10 years, one is allowed to let slip a 'wow'.The Karnataka State Commission for Safai Karmacharis (KSCSK) submitted a report on this earlier this month, based on which the home department has ordered an inquiry. The probe has put under scanner at least 87 contractors and officials who are part of city's waste management Home Minister G Parameshwara's letter to the top cop on November 11 referred to the memorandum he received from the KSCSK, which detailed the alleged scam, and sought an inquiry by the "COD [CID]or an independent agency".In his letter to the Home Minister, Narayana, a former president of the commission, talked about the alleged misuse of funds as well as the injustice done to workers.He mentioned how, since 2005, salaries were being disbursed for pourakarmikas, but without all the components of employer's contribution towards insurance and PF. "Employee's contribution to ESI [insurance] of 1.75 per cent, and employer's contribution of 4.75 per cent should have been credited to their insurance accounts. But these funds have not been credited," said Narayana. Contractors have cheated the workers out of at least Rs384 crore, he alleged. With no ESI coverage, the pourakarmikas have lost over Rs15 lakh coverage, he said."The BBMP is paying salaries to over 19,000 workers. But, as per our survey, only 12,400 are into cleaning activities. Bogus documents have been created for the remaining 6,600 'employees' and salaries are being paid to them for over 10 years," he said."A CID inquiry has been sought into the issue," a senior home ministry source told Mirror.