A hotel in Mysuru, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed during his visit in April last year, has threatened legal action because bills of over Rs 80 lakh have not been paid by the State Forest Department.
According to a report by The Hindu, PM Modi stayed at the Radisson Blu Plaza hotel during his visit to Mysuru in April 2023. He was there to inaugurate the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, an event organized by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF).
The State Forest Department was told to manage the event from April 9 to 11, with a budget initially set at Rs 3 crore and a promise of full financial support from the Central government. However, because the event was organized on short notice, the actual cost doubled the original estimate.
After the event, the Central government released Rs 3 crore, but an additional Rs 3.3 crore is still unpaid. Despite multiple reminders from the State Forest Department to the MoEF, the remaining funds have not been released.
In October last year, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) of Karnataka wrote to the Deputy Inspector-General of NTCA to remind him about the outstanding dues. NTCA replied that the expenses for the Prime Minister?s stay at Radisson Blu Plaza should be reimbursed by the State government.
Another letter was sent by the State Forest Department in March this year, again reminding NTCA about the unpaid bills, including Rs 80.6 lakh for the Prime Minister?s stay at Radisson Blu Plaza. However, there has been no response so far.
The General Manager of Finance at Radisson Blu Plaza wrote to the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Basavaraju, on May 21, reminding him that the bills remain unpaid even 12 months after the hotel services were used.
The letter also mentioned that an interest of 18% per annum would be applied to the outstanding dues, adding an extra Rs 12.09 lakh for the delayed payment. The hotel management has threatened legal action if the dues are not settled by June 1, 2024.
