M’lore: Sudden Transfer of DK and Udupi DCs

Mangalorean.Com

Mangalore, 14 May 2011: Although it was part of a major administrative shake-up by way of shifting of 51 IAS and two IFS officers in one go, the sudden transfer of the DK and Udupi DCs are being observed as being an upshot of lobbies having worked.

 

Subodh Yadav and Dr N S Channappa Gowda

 

Subodh Yadav, who took over the reins of the DK district administration as recently as October 2010, had gone down heavily on the sand mafia. As an honest and much-feared officer, he had also incurred the displeasure of the bus-owners’ lobby, which wanted to jack up the bus tariff but the DC applied brakes on their arbitrary move.

 

Yadav is currently away in Lucknow to attend a relative’s wedding and was to  resume duty on May 17. In private, he could be sorry that he had so many unfinished tasks of public benefit on hand. Apparently no reason has been assigned for the transfer.

 

His successor is Dr N S Channappa Gowda, of the 2005 batch of IAS, and until now deputy commissioner of Chikmagalur district. Besides having served earlier as the CEO of DK zilla panchayat, he was the special officer of the newly-carved Ramanagaram district, CEO of Mysore zilla panchayat, DC of Uttar Kannada and managing director of the Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. He is a keen golfer and a member of the Karnataka Golf Association.

 

P Hemalata and Dr M T Reju

 

The deputy commissioner of Udupi, Poovel Hemalata, an IAS officer of 2000 batch, hailing from Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu, has been transferred to be director at the department of horticulture. She is being replaced by Dr M T Reju IAS, hailing from Alappuzha in Kerala, who is now deputy director of personnel and administrative reforms in Bangalore. Dr Reju has earlier served as assistant commisioner at Tarikere.

 

Hemalata had succeeded her husband and deputy commissioner V Ponnuraj IAS when he was transferred from Udupi to Mangalore. Within a short period Ponnuraj was transferred to Shimoga.

 

A function to bid adieu to her will be held at 10-30 am on May 15 in the DC office auditorium in Udupi.

 

Many citizens here have been wondering as to what administrative purpose would be served if efficient officers are transferred within one or two years. Besides snapping continuity in implementation of people-friendly programmes, transfers within a reasonable period, and at short notice to boot, could upset their personal lives, esp., their children’s education.