Taking serious note of the absence of the some of the key government department officials at the tri-monthly review meeting of the Karnataka Development Programmes (KDP) here on Tuesday, Dharwad Zilla Panchayat president Chaitra Shirur has ordered suspension of 34 officials who remained absent.
Ms. Shirur, who chaired the meeting at the zilla panchayat auditorium here, observed that most of the chairs meant for the officials were vacant. Irked over the absence of the officials at a crucial meeting, Ms. Shirur asked the officials to find out how many officials were absent.
Later, she asked zilla panchayat chief executive officer Snehal R. to initiate stringent disciplinary action against those who remained absent, though notices had been sent well in advance asking the officials to attend the meeting. Ms. Shirur added that mere issuing show-cause notice to the errant officers was not enough and that they should be kept under suspension.
Responding to this, Ms. Snehal said tht she would recommend suspension of officers who remained absent for the last two or three meetings and would write to the heads of the departments concerned on this.
She added that those remaining absent for gram sabhas will also face the music.
Ms. Shirur observed that the failure on the part of officers to execute development works was causing embarrassment to the elected representatives as they were answerable to the people. She also brought to the notice of CEO that she had received complaints about Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) in Hubballi taluk demanding money to issue work order under the employment guarantee programme and asked the CEO to take action against the officers concerned.
Ms. Snehal said that she would initiate action if proof of PDOs demanding money was produced. Irked by this, Ms. Shirur said that nobody would come forward to give proof in such cases and it was up to the CEO to find out and take action against errant officers.
ZP vice-president Shivanand Karigar said that the PDOs demanding money was not confined to Hubballi taluk alone but it was rampant in the entire district. “They are demanding money under each and every scheme,” he said.
