BBMP Forest Cell staffers to go on leave en masse

As many as 18 staffers of the BBMP Forest Cell have decided to go on a two-day leave from Thursday, following the directions of Mayor N Shantakumari to repatriate them to their parent departments.

Speaking to the media, a Forest Cell official said: “It is true, that apart from Chief Conservator of Forest, Deputy Conservator of Forest and two Assistant Conservators of forest, the rest of the staff have come on deputation or on overdraft orders. We have no problem with the cell merging with the Horticulture department. But we object to the interference of the corporators and the Mayor in the Cell.”

The official said the Karnataka Municipal Act stipulated that all administrative decisions should to be taken by the BBMP Commissioner.

Shantakumari said: “If they want to go on leave they can go ahead. I cannot do anything. It is up to them. My decision is correct. Only four posts are sanctioned and since the past many years, we have been paying salary to the excess staff; but now we are fed up. They can go wherever they want. Similar checks will be done in all other BBMP departments, too, after discussing the matter with the corporators.”