Udupi : Priyanka Mary Francis, Chief Executive Officer of Udupi Zilla Panchayat, has been promoted as the new Deputy Commissioner of Udupi district, while the incumbent Deputy Commissioner T. Venkatesh has been transferred as Managing Director of Mysuru Sugar Company Ltd.

Mr. Venkatesh in about six months of being appointed as Deputy Commissioner. It was his strict handling of the illegal transportation of sand that must have resulted in his transfer.

He had given instructions to officers to impose fine on illegal transportation of sand. But the Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, Pramod Madhwaraj was upset by this because of public protests and hence, it had resulted in his transfer, he said.

“If you do not take action, they say he is inefficient, if you take action, they are bothered about their public image. It is a silly issue for which I have been transferred,” he said.

“I am naturally sad that I have been transferred right in the middle of the year. The normal transfer takes place in June/July. But in a government job, one is always ready to go wherever one is transferred. I have already faced many transfers,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Priyanka Mary Francis said that she would give priority to providing drinking water to water-scarce habitations in villages. “Till a new chief executive officer is appointed to the zilla panchayat, I will have to work as the chief executive officer also. Hence, water issues will get priority,” she said.

She would also give importance to the sand extraction and toll collection issues. She would study and try to resolve the revenue issues such as Depressed Classes land (called “DC Manna Bhoomi”), “Moola Geni” land and “Kumki” land. She would also look into matters relating to deemed forest, she said.

She would meet Mr. Venkatesh on Wednesday and decide on the date of taking charge after consulting him, Ms. Francis said.