BENGALURU: A BMTC bus driver has sent a letter to the Governor, Principal Secretary of Transport and Commissioner of the Labour Department, asking that BMTC MD Satyavathi be suspended, alleging that she has not taken any action against irregularities in the corporation. He added that top officials are trying to suppress his voice against the irregularities with a show cause notice.
The driver, M K Thyagaraju, in his letter dated January 20 said, “BMTC is already reeling under financial crisis. The main reason for this is that top officials are violating the rules of the organisation for their selfish motives. Even after lodging complaints against erring officials and providing valid documents obtained by filing RTIs, BMTC MD Satyavathi has not taken any action. She is protecting the guilty and I am being intimidated.”
“A vehicle that was meant for training unemployed youth at the Vaddarahalli training institute has been used for personal reasons. Only a gold or silver medalist should be appointed as a driving instructor. But they have appointed a driver who has not even completed one year of driving as an instructor in violation of the law. A junior assistant cannot be posted in one department for more than three years,” Thyagaraju said.
He even expressed concern that Sathyavathi might tamper with documents to cover up the irregularities and urged the Governor that she be suspended immediately and sought action against the guilty. When TNIE contacted Sathyavathi, she said the driver is a habitual complainant. “An employee has to follow certain protocols, but he has flouted all the rules. We have a system to resolve complaints, but he has written to the Governor deliberately to get media attention. I have not received any letters from him. Disciplinary action will be taken against him for his conduct,” she said.