Upalokayukta criticises inefficient officers in Raichur, books 18 suo motu cases for lapses

Upalokayukta B. Veerappa sharply attacked inefficient government officers and warned them of initiating action during his three-day visit to Raichur district which concluded on Saturday.

He registered 18 suo motu cases against officers for lapses in discharging duties and attending to public grievances.

Mr. Veerappa paid a surprise visit to several important government departments, hostels being run by different departments, hospitals, public places, bus stands, APMC Yard, mining areas, water purification units, land records, social welfare, OBCs, sub-registrar, Nirmiti Kendra, mines and geology, the office of the Assistant Commissioner and the Tahsildar, the Solid Waste Resource Recycling Management Unit and the Mahanagar Palike office.

Officers had a tough time accompanying the Upalokayukta, who, wearing a face mask, easily walked through congested places, and answer his queries on the lack of facilities, especially in hostels and hospitals.

Public grievances

On Saturday, Mr. Veerappa also accepted grievance applications submitted by the general public seeking relief to problems at a meeting at Basaveshwar Convention Hall on the University of Agricultural Sciences campus.

As many as 628 applications were received, and of them, 171 applications were disposed of, and the rest have been referred to officials for immediate attention to deliver justice.

Terming corruption the biggest enemy, Mr. Veerappa said that there will be zero tolerance to corruption. “Action against inefficient and corrupt officers will be very harsh,” he said during the programme.

Deputy Commissioner Nitish K., who was present at the public grievances meeting, said that corruption and inefficiency in government offices and departments have been exposed by the Upalokayukta and such immoral practice by government officials should end.

“If government officials accept bribe from the public, it impacts the entire department, as people will start seeing it as entirely corrupt,” he said.

Additional registrars in the Upalokayukta Office Ramakanth Chavan and Shivaji Nalavade, judge Arvind, senior civil judge H.A. Satwik, Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Satish Chitagubbi, Deputy Superintendents of Police Ravi Purushottam and Vasanth Kumar, Inspectors Kalappa Badger, Chandrappa, Sunil Megalamani, Shailaja, Nagarathna and staff were present.