Madikeri : Parliamentary Secretary to Revenue Minister Pramod Madhwaraj directed the deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner to clear pending files in the department.

Chairing a review meeting of the department at DC’s office Hall in Madikeri on Thursday, he took task of Tahsildar, Shirastedar and Survey in-charge officers for not having cleared the applications for years.

He told the DC to conduct an inquiry into the missing of files in tahsildar office in Madikeri and also handed over the responsibility of inquiry into the delay in disposing of the files in Somwarpet taluk to the Additional Deputy Commissioner M Sathish Kumar and that of Virajpet taluk to Assistant Commissioner Dr Nanjundegowda.

He sought clarification on why the disposal of files, pending from the last two years, not done in Madikeri tahsildar office.

Tahsildar Kunjamma said the pending files are subject to family disputes and will be cleared within the week. When Madhwaraj directed to produce the pending files, Kunjamma, Shirasthedar Krishnamurthy and Survey In-charge Officer Arun tried to give clarifications. Later, they told the department staff to get the files. But, the files were not brought till the end of the meeting.

Madhwaraj also directed the Virajpet tahsildar to clear 15 files pending from a year and 234 applications under RR case.

He also sought explanation from Somwarpet tahsildar Shivappa on the delay in clearing files. As many as 858 files are pending in survey section and 234 files are pending in RR section. Among these files, more than 80 files are pending for the last two years. These files should be cleared immediately and those pending from more than three years should be cleared within six months, he said.

He directed the officials to clear 3,000 applications in the department. The RTCs should be issued on time, he noted.

He said Udupi district is in first place in the clearance of applications under Sakala. Similarly, officials must take measures for the speedy disposal of files in Kodagu, Madhwaraj said.

Deputy Commissioner Meer Anees Ahmmed said information is being procured at the meeting of revenue officer every month. But, the officials are not working efficiently, he added.

Madhwaraj directed the DC to issue notice to Nandish for keeping files pending in the survey department from the last two years, before getting transferred to Tumakuru.

Additional Deputy Commissioner M Sathish Kumar and Assistant Commissioner Dr Nanjundegowda were present on the occasion.

In the wake of complaints on missing of files, Madhwaraj a paid visit to Tahsildar’s office and inspected files were not disposed of. During the inspection, it came to light that old files were missing. When he sought clarification from officials, they said that those files were destroyed during a fire mishap.

Disappointed with the reply, Madhwaraj ordered the DC to conduct an inquiry and told him to initiate serious action against tahsildar Kunjamma and other officials, if they are found guilty.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Revenue Minister also asked Virajpet tahsildar Mahadevaswamy why the applications submitted by poor have not been cleared.
He directed the tahsildar not to involve middlemen in the clearing of applications.