Upa Lokayukta’s Surprise Visit to Udupi Leads to Registration of 17 Suo Motu Cases
Udupi: A surprise visit by Karnataka Upa Lokayukta Justice B. Veerappa to Udupi district on February 26 and 27 has resulted in the registration of 17 suo motu cases against officials across various government departments. The Upa Lokayukta was in the district to review pending complaint cases and address public grievances during the inspections, which revealed significant lapses in duty and adherence to regulations.
The inspections spanned a wide range of government offices, uncovering deficiencies in record-keeping, transparency, and service delivery. The departments facing scrutiny and subsequent case registrations include:
- Department of Public Education: Cases were registered due to staff absenteeism during duty hours without permission, failure by the Deputy Director to provide requested information, lack of employee identification, and improper maintenance of essential registers.
- Women and Child Development Department: Officials are under investigation for failing to provide comprehensive information regarding the implemented schemes and the allocation of government funds over the past two years.
- Social Welfare Department: Deficiencies in hostel cleanliness, the quality of food provided to students, access to clean drinking water, and the provision of free health check-ups led to the registration of cases against responsible officials.
- Department of Mines and Geology: The department faces scrutiny for failing to adequately respond to queries regarding the number of quarries, licensed crushers, inspections conducted, recorded violations, encroachment of government land, inactive quarries, worker insurance, and GPS mapping of mining areas.
- Udupi Taluk Panchayat and Municipality: Cases were registered against municipal officials for the lack of progress in developing Pottu Lake at Thenkanidiyoor.
- Manipal Police Station: Dissatisfactory responses regarding actions taken against drug peddlers and ganja cultivation prompted the registration of a suo motu case against concerned officers.
- Sewage Treatment Plant, Nittur: Deficiencies, including improper wastewater treatment, algae accumulation, and pollution of rivers and the sea, were noted. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and Irrigation Department are also under scrutiny for not initiating criminal action. Additional issues, like mosquito breeding and poor sanitation in Malpe and the surrounding areas, were observed.
- Fisheries Department: Cases were registered against officials for failing to provide adequate responses to Lokayukta queries.
- Regional Transport Office (RTO): The RTO faces investigation for failing to provide accurate data regarding stage carriers, contract carriage vehicles, GPS installation, violations, seizures, monitoring of mineral transport, compliance of school vehicles with Supreme Court guidelines, and proper record maintenance.
- Backward Classes Welfare Department: Officials are under investigation for failing to provide the requested information and documents.
- Tourism Department: Cases were registered against officials for failing to provide data regarding resorts, lodges, and homestays potentially polluting water bodies or violating buffer zones.
- Urban Development Authority: Issues such as long-pending files, approval delays, improper file maintenance, and the absence of e-office implementation led to the registration of cases.
- Assistant Director of Land Records Office: Delays in land measurement, with pending files related to 11E and Tatkal Podi cases spanning over seven years, resulted in a case registration.
- Udupi City Municipality: Deficiencies in records of works, vehicle maintenance, property tax collection, pending e-property applications, trade licenses, and illegal constructions were found.
- District Government Hospital: Issues, including improper handling of birth and death certificates, a lack of uniformity among staff, poor cleanliness, inadequate waste disposal, a lack of signage, and poor canteen maintenance, led to a case registration.
- Sub-Registrar’s Office: Failure to maintain public complaint records and the presence of private documents with contract staff prompted the registration of cases.
- Udupi Tahsildar’s Office: Pending files related to RRT, Tatkal Podi, Form 57, and e-Pauti accounts were discovered, along with unauthorized chit fund activities without approval.
Investigations into all 17 cases are currently underway. The Upa Lokayukta’s surprise visit highlights the commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency within government departments in Udupi district. The outcome of these investigations is expected to have significant implications for the conduct of public officials and the delivery of public services in the region.
