Middlemen's writ runs large at govt depts, says Revanna

MLA H D Revanna on Monday alleged that officials in all the government departments were corrupt. Addressing a press meet, here, Revanna alleged that Regional Transport Office, Revenue department and other departments were being governed by middlemen.

The officials are working beyond 5.30 pm and till midnight, instead of the working hours from 10 am to 5 pm, and are hand in glove with the corrupt, he said.

The deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner and other officers are signing the files related to real estate, sand mafia and granite business after office hours. They are not concerned about the problems faced by common man, he alleged.

The MLA said that more than 120 agents were controlling the RTO. They demand Rs 2,000 per truckload of sand that is being transported. If their palms are not greased, they unnecessarily harass truck drivers, he added.

He warned of staging a protest, to highlight corruption, in front of every department after the Zilla and Taluk Panchayats elections.

Negligence

Training his guns on Manjunath Dayanayak, commis-sioner for Rural Development, Revanna said the government had so far not released a single rupee for solving the drinking water crisis in the district.

“My repeated calls to Manjunath have not been received. Any official who does not work for the people is not fit to be in the post. I have written a letter to the chief secretary, demanding action against him”, Revanna added.

Speaking about the polls, he said, the JD(S) was confident of choosing the right candidates and of winning more seats.

Responding to a query if JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is upset with the people of the district for trouncing the party in the recent polls, Revanna said, the former prime minister had seen many such victories and defeats.

He is busy with the preparations for the forthcoming polls and would visit the district soon, he added.