Mangaluru: Civic activists, who believe Assistant Revenue Officer (ARO), Praveen Chandra Karkera was suddenly transferred because he had led the drive against illegal flexes and hoardings in the city, have started a campaign on social media for his reinstatement.
The officer, who was with the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for several years, had a reputation for taking strict action against illegal hoardings, banners and flexes, and recently carried out a similar drive in Bengaluru. Within days of this the government issued an order transferring him to Kalaburgi.
"After the Karnataka High Court took serious note of the illegal hoardings and flexes and asked the government to take necessary action against them, ARO Praveen was given the job of carrying out the drive. But within a few days the government issued an order, saying he had been transferred in public interest! I don’t understand this. What does the government mean by public interest?" demands activist Shashidhar Shetty, who has begun the campaign on social media against the officer's transfer. E-mails are also being sent to the Chief Minister asking for his reinstatement in the MCC.
"Over 127 people have sent me the screenshots of the mails they have sent to the CM. There may be more. It has turned into a campaign,” the activist added, revealing that he also planned to write to Urban Development Minister, UT Khader on the matter. "I plan to write a letter to Mr Khader asking for an explanation for the officer’s transfer. We want to know what public interest is being served by transferring him and if the government will give a free hand to the new officer appointed in his place to clear the hoardings," he said.
