R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (EP)

Karkala, Feb 20: Karkala taluk citizens forum for development, Hitarakshana Samiti and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike jointly held a protest in front of taluk office on Wednesday, February 19.

The protest decried the delay tactics of taluk office to clear files, evasive replies to citizens' queries to work, demand for bribe etc.

Sridhar Shetty said, "The tahsildar is delaying work saying that the delay is due to computerization. Besides, when one requests for copy of the documents, they harass the citizens for months and in the end say the documents are not available.  The land records are full of mistakes putting the farmers to hardship. The staff has not bothered to rectify them."

The protestors said that if one submits 11E form, the staff rejects the application without bringing it to the notice of applicants.  If applications are submitted under RTI act, they say that the application is under scrutiny and keep them pending for months. No action is being taken against such staff, which shows gross negligence on the part of administrative machinery, they said.

"Even though applications are sent to higher officials at Kundapur, they also have rejected the applications acting against the interests of citizens," Sridhar said.  The protesters urged that some corrupt officials in the office be transferred and sincere officials be appointed in their place.

A memorandum was submitted to the tahsildar after the protest.

Karkala taluk citizen's forum for development president Kerebettu Sanjeeva Shetty, and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Shivaprasad Shetty, Nitish Pojary, Vittala Gowda, Krishna Devadiga and others were present.