A cook at the pre-matric hostel in Masti has alleged that an extension officer attached to the Department of Social Welfare demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 to release his salary arrears.
At a grievances redress meet held on the taluk panchayat premises on Monday, Narayanaswamy, the cook, alleged that the officer, Veerapur, has been harassing the cooks at the hostel and demanding Rs 50,000 to release arrears to the tune of Rs two lakh.
“He goes to office to sign the attendance book and spends most of the duty hours at his quarters,” he added.
Standing Committee (Social Justice) chairperson S V Lokesh directed the taluk panchayat chief executive officer, Srinivas, to inquire into the complaint of Narayanaswamy and submit a report to the deputy commission.
Wardens of a few other hostels said that teachers are regularly absent to the special coaching classes conducted for the inmates at night. Some of the hostels lack basic facilities such as toilet, they said.
Taluk Panchayat president Chandrappa warned the officials against laxity in using the funds meant for providing facilities to these hostels.
However, Veerapur contended that the six hostels in the taluk have all the facilities except drinking water crisis in a few of them. A hostel for the backward class community students and an office of the Devaraj Urs backward class community office will be built at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore, he added. If sites are allocated, a Vahnikula Bhavan and a Gollara Bhavan will be constructed each at a cost of Rs five lakh.
Taluk Panchayat vice president Nagaveni, Executive Officer Srinivasmurthy and secretary Banumati were present on the occasion.