Here is a mini-quiz. A delegation of citizens calls on a state government official asking for a road to be widened. The official pleads helplessness.
He reportedly tells them that the government has been cold-shouldering his organisation’s files. He reportedly tells them that the pleas of private builders are getting preferential treatment at the hands of junior secretaries. He also reportedly calls the incumbent government “the most unfit government” he had seen.
What do you think should happen in ideal circumstances?
The government should inquire from objective sources if the official did indeed make the last of those comments. The government should check if bureaucrats were showing undue courtesy to private builders, and if so why. The government should check which of the official’s plans were ignored.
However, the Kumaraswamy government has done none of these with the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner, S.N. Nagaraju. It has summarily suspended the official without so much as an inquiry, and without answering any of the other questions raised.
Is the coalition government trying desperately to hide something?
A real estate scam, maybe, in the name of turning Mysore into “the second IT capital of the state”? A kind of scam that has turned Bangalore into the hell-hole it has become?
This is under these type of circumstances NGOs and activists should come to the rescue of the bureaucrat. What the MUDA commissioner has alleged should not be any startling news any one who knows a little about the great working of our democratic system.
No one except vey few outstanding bureaucrats or departments headed by such honest officers are expected to function today without getting some mamul under the table irrespective of any office state or the central.
Any one reading Churumuri likely to have their own shocking examples of above instances. Let me give just three examples to make the point.
A teacher from Mysore had been deputed on official work and she was owed about Rs 5000 towards her expenses. But she could not get her expenses reimbursed for a long time unless she greased the wheels of bureaucracy. She refused and filed a case in the court against the government. She had to go even to the high court and finally won the case. The department finally agreed to pay the amount. But the concerned clerk in the treasury will not issue the check unless she would give him a bribe. He was not concerned that the High Court had odered the government to pay her dues. She complained to MGP and we took the case to CEO of Zilla Parishat. Even after the specific order by the CEO, it took more than two weeks to get the check issued. Unfortunately the CEO did not take action agianst the corrupt clerck.
The second instance is the effort of MGP trying to get a registration certificate from Registrar of Newspaper of India (RNI) for the last 11 years. When we complaied to PM’s office,. wheels of bureaucracy finally started to function a little bit. But it has taken more than a year and we are now close to getting one because of the “influence” of a retired officer employed by an NGO in Delhi. This NGO offered to help us after hearing MGP’s problems.
The third example has direct applicability to MUDA case. Chennai Refinery with more than RS 10000 croes of turnover will always try its level best to have a joint venture for any major project. When I asked the official, why a government owned Company (It is a navartna company also) would find the need to have a small private company, he was very straightforward. It is not because of any special know how of the company or any pressure by a VIP. It is just that the small company can bribe the officials to move the application and license files through the corridors of the government offices whereas Chennai refinery cannot afford to pay the bribes. If such a company had to take the help of a private company, one can only wonder how MUDA will be able to get its applications processed in Bangalore.
KP is correct that the CM should have investigated into the allegations and taken action. He should not have felt that MUDA commissioner was complaining aginst the CM. This only shows the true colours of the current government which is trying hard to create the image that it is different.
while there is merit to what you have all said, IMHO, the commissioner is simply paying for he has done. there are stories about his leele and kaanda too you know.
I sincerely hope this doesnt happen. I know that land prices in Mysore have quadrapled over the last year. What with Mr. Murthy and Mr. Premji planning to build mega-campuses etc etc. If Mysore does go the Bangalore way.. its a loss to all its common citizens (the retirees, the middle class folk etc).
I have been born and brought up in Bangalore but my childhood memories are full of summer holidays in my Grandad’s house in Yadavagiri.. and yes the churmuri guy in front of Cheluvamba park.
I visited Mysore about 6 months ago and it still took 15 minutes to get from Lalith Mahal to Yadavagiri.
I hope this remains unsullied. Progress is good but at what cost?
P.S: I am part of the IT Kumbh Mela in Bangalore