Ex-MLA faults ’transfer mania’ for poor Govt. effectiveness

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 07, 2018: Former MLA K Vijay Kumar Shetty has said that the frequent transfer of officials in Dakshina Kannada district has affected the implementation of popular welfare schemes of the state government as well as development works in the district. It has taken a toll on governance, he said.

In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said that in the last four and a half years, the district has seen six Deputy Commissioners, six superintendents of police, 5 City Police Commissioners, 11 Commissioners for Mangaluru City Corporation, 5 MUDA Commissioners and three RTOs.

In spite of the guidelines that the government officers should be transferred only after two years of a posting in one particular place, the frequent transfers in the district have affected the development works.

“The deputy commissioner is not given time to carry out administration. There is an allegation of sand mafia behind the frequent transfer of Deputy Commissioner as well. Even the Superintendent of Police and City Police Commissioner are not given a free hand to deal with the law and order situation. Political pressure to release an accused involved in an untoward incident is common. Those who failed to budge are transferred with immediate effect,” the former MLA said.

Stating that DK district is communally sensitive, the former MLA said, “There is ganja influence in the murders in the district. Ganja business is thriving in the district. The frequent transfer of top police officers has affected measures to contain drug peddling in the district. To contain drug peddling and also to probe murder cases, police officers should be allowed to work at least a year in the district. No one should be allowed to interfere during the course of investigation. Action should be initiated only if a police officer fails to bring about a logical end to a case,” he added.

He said that the Mangaluru City Corporation has created history with the frequent transfer of its Commissioner. The MCC has seen 11 commissioners so far.

A commissioner is not allowed to work even for a period of six months. In such a scenario, how can development works be implemented, he sought to know.

Noting that corrupt officials continue to function in Mangaluru City Corporation for the past 25 to 30 years, the former MLA said that only honest Commissioners are transferred. He demanded that an IAS officer should be posted as MCC Commissioner.

The transfer of MUDA Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Traffic and Senior Regional Transport Officer has caused inconvenience to the public. Though the post of RTO has been upgraded as Deputy Commissioner for Transport, Senior Regional Transport office, there is no senior officer to the post since 2015, he said.