8 transferred officials back in action

It seems like there is no value for the BBMP Commissioner M K Shankaralinge Gowda’s orders. Eight of the 15 officials, who were transferred by him from the civic body’s Town Planning Department to other departments 10 days ago, are back in the same department using ‘political influence’. The letters from their political bosses have helped them to continue in the same department.

The Commissioner, at a meeting of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) recently,  had openly stated that the strength of the staff in the Town Planning Department is more and the officials are still joining the department by procuring recommendation letters from higher authorities.

On the contrary, storm water drain and road works departments are staff-crunched, he had said.

Gowda had stated that some officials from the Town Planning Department will be transferred to Storm Water Drain and Road Works Departments and had pleaded  the councillors not to give  recommendation letters to candidates.

The Commissioner had issued a circular in this regard on July 21 and had transferred 15 officials from the Town Planning Department to other departments within the BBMP.

The list of officials included P V Chandrashekhar, B P Vijaykumar, Mohammed Fazaulla, R Nagaraja, Prabhu Sharan, B P Ravi, P Shanu, Vivekananda, K N Lokesh, Nagarajappa, M E Thavane, K Venkatesh, Virupakshiah, Nanarajiah and V Prahlad.

However, on August 2, of the total 15 officials transferred, eight were back in action at the Town Planning Department.

According to sources,  P Shanu, who came on deputation from KPTCL to BBMP, is back to Town Planning (South) after getting a  recommendation letter from the Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.

Vivekananda, a relative of Malleswaram MLA Ashwath Narayan, has come back to Town Planning (North), Mohammed Fazulla has brought recommendation letter from Bangalore South MLA M Krishnnappa, B P Vijaykumar returned to Mahadevapura zone after taking letter from Health Minister Aravind Limbavali, K Venktesh, R Nagaraja and Nagarajappa have got letters from Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa. “The remaining officials are expected to return,” the sources said.

When contacted, Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy feigned innocence.  “I have not given any influence letters. I will check the files,” he said.

“The Mayor does not have any powers to act on such situations according to  the KMC Act,” he observed.

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