BENGALURU: BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairman Tushar Girinath were shunted out on Thursday evening, and are yet to get their new postings.Prasad was appointed by former chief minister Siddaramaiah and had survived the JDS-Congress coalition. He was replaced by Additional Chief Secretary BH Anil Kumar. With this, the post of BBMP Commissioner, which was of the rank of principal secretary, has been upgraded.
Girinath was replaced by M Maheshwar Rao, secretary, Commerce and Industries Department. A 1994-batch IAS officer, Manjunath Prasad (54) was the longest serving commissioner with 3 years, 4 months, in the history of BBMP since 1949.
The second-longest term was served by Rupa Nayak in 1966 — 3 years, 2 months. Prasad had taken charge in April 2016. He was secretary to the Agriculture Department when he was posted as BBMP Commissioner. As a masters of Technology, IIT Delhi, his first posting was sub-divisional officer, Haldia sub-division, West Bengal, from 1996-98.
“I am happy with my tenure as BBMP Commissioner, as I got the opportunity to work with three chief ministers and four mayors — Manjunath Reddy, Padmavathy, Sampath Raj and Gangambike Mallikarjun. I was not told of my transfer and it is a government decision. I have not yet been given a posting, but I’m sure they will send me somewhere,” Prasad told TNIE.
His sudden transfer, however, has left tongues wagging. “This has come as a shock. The BJP government has been shuffling all officials, just as Kumarswamy did. But it was said that the BBMP commissioner would not be changed with assembly by-elections coming up, as Prasad has experience as election officer. Does this mean that the BJP government is playing its moves keeping elections on mind, as nobody has been posted as additional chief secretary, UDD, also, which is a plum post,” wondered a senior BBMP official, on condition of anonymity.
Former BWSSB Chairman Girinath held the post for 3 years, 3 months. He took charge as Chairman on May 2, 2016. From May 15 to May 31, 2019, he was made Regional Commissioner of Belagavi and given additional charge of BWSSB. He resumed full charge again from June 1 this year. Girinath has been instrumental in laying a strong foundation for the Cauvery Water Supply Project Stage V that will cater to the water needs of the city. The setting up of seven STPs, bringing down water wastage to 36% from 45%, are credited among his achievements.