High drama at MCC; corporators lock in officers

Officers not rectifying erroneous records

High drama was witnessed at Mysore City Corporation (MCC) on Friday, as corporators locked in the officers in protest against the latter’s alleged apathy.

A meeting of accounts standing committee of the civic body had been convened by its chairman R Somasundar at the old council hall. All the officers — commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners of all nine zones and others — had been intimated in advance about the meeting.

However, a few minutes before the meeting it was learnt that the top guns like commissioner, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners will not be able to make it.

It turned out to be true when junior engineers arrived on behalf of assistant commissioners. Irked chairman of the committee, accompanied by his members, walked out of the hall in boycott, only to lock the main door with a padlock. To ensure that the officers shouldn’t find help in fellow colleagues outside, the corporators sat on vigil in front of the commissioner’s chamber opposite the council hall.

As a result, the hapless officers had to stay inside, till the corporators made up their mind and unlocked the door.

Though assistant commissioners arrived later, it couldn’t assuage the feelings of the corporators.M K Shankar, a corporator and member of the committee, told Deccan Herald, the officers are least bothered about rectifying erroneous records, as according to the audit report for the past 25 years, there are one or the other lacunae. 

Yet, the officers aren’t ready to correct the facts, he further alleged. Members of the committee R Purushotham, also an ex-mayor, Shivakumar, Lakshmamma and Shamshad Begum were present.