• I am not resigning accepting defeat but I am quitting in protest. The DC must set right this behaviour or else she must leave Mysuru
• The DC cannot set right the differences with political leaders but instead she is targeting me
• The DC is egoistic and no district should see a DC like her

Mysore/Mysuru: In a sudden turn of events in Mysuru’s COVID management, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Shilpa Nag resigned from her post and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and sent the resignation letter to State Chief Secretary. She announced her resignation at a press conference called last afternoon where she cited ‘harassment’ by Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri, also an IAS Officer. 

The resignation, however, brought out the lack of coordination in pandemic management at a time when Mysuru is seeing more than 1,500 cases on a daily average  and an alarming death rate. 

The administration’s chinks in the armour were there for everyone to see as allegations and counter-allegations unfolded in full public view at the emergency press conference that was actually called to inform about the contagion management. 

18-page hand-written resignation 

Displaying the 18-page hand-written resignation letter, Shilpa Nag said that she was resigning in protest against the harassment meted out to her and her staff at MCC in the hands of the DC. For the record, Sindhuri is a 2009 batch IAS Officer while Shilpa Nag belongs to the 2014 batch. The coordination and camaraderie between the District Administration and the MCC has hit nadir and hence the resignation. 

“I kindly request you to accept the resignation and relieve me from moral dilemma, pain and sorrow,” Shilpa stated in the letter. The resignation comes at a time when the DC is at loggerheads with elected representatives including K.R. Nagar MLA S.R. Mahesh and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, who have gone to the media levelling charges against Rohini Sindhuri on various fronts including the actual death and positivity rate, rural visits and the construction of swimming pool and a gym at DC’s residence, a heritage building. 

The DC is egoistic and has a cheap mentality. She should not make Mysuru a scapegoat. I am not resigning accepting defeat but I am quitting in protest. The DC must set right this behaviour or else she must leave Mysuru. She is discrediting Mysureans and Mysuru city. If you are not leaving, I will. There were reports of the DC constructing a swimming pool and a gym at DC’s residence which is a heritage building. As the MCC Commissioner I could have served a notice on the DC. But I did not for the only reason that COVID must be our focus. The DC cannot set right the differences with political leaders but instead she is targeting me. I have been a victim of this target since many days. She even questioned my presence in the War Room. As a Commissioner don’t I have the powers to visit even a War Room?

— Shilpa Nag, Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner 

Harassment & humiliation 

“There is harassment and humiliation by the DC. I have no mental peace, no proper sleep and food for the past one week. I have had enough. I have taken the decision with utmost sorrow. One should not put the district or city at stake for one’s pride. The DC has been humiliating MCC staff and has threatened to suspend them,” Shilpa Nag said. 

A visibly upset IAS Officer Shilpa Nag vented her ire against Rohini Sindhuri and said, “I am being targeted and being portrayed as a failure and doing nothing in the fight against the pandemic. There has been a lack of cooperation from the District Administration. There has been a separate criterion for the areas coming under MCC limits and rural areas.” 

Turning emotional and trying hard to prevent tears, Shilpa Nag said, “There is a limit for one’s patience and nobody can stop when it bursts. I am under severe mental pressure for the last one week. I am proud of the people of Mysuru and I am deeply pained as I am being targeted in the name of caste. The DC is egoistic and no district should see a DC like her (Rohini Sindhuri).”

CSR fund utilisation

“The DC has ordered me not to obtain Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. An Assistant Environment Engineer in the MCC took the initiative to raise funds under CSR and over Rs. 12.3 crore has been collected so far and with that funds, the MCC is managing the pandemic including the setting up of COVID Mitra and other campaigns that are mainly focussed on all the 65 Wards. But the DC has targeted Assistant Environment Engineer (AEE) and is preparing a file to suspend him. Rohini Sindhuri even summoned the AEE to her office and insulted him. Sadly when the AEE’s brother-in-law died, he took only three hours’ leave and was back to work,” Shilpa Nag said. 

Map of contention

The actual flashpoint came after Rohini Sindhuri released a ward-wise map of MCC affected by the pandemic. As per the map dated June 1, most of the 65 Wards of the MCC were marked red but a day before that, on May 31, Shilpa Nag had released a map that showed a majority of wards in green with only two Wards in red. 

Holding the map in her hand, Shilpa Nag said, “As of May 31, only two Wards of the MCC were under the red zone. But according to the DC’s report on Wednesday, a majority of the Wards are shown under red zone. The DC, as the head of the District, is trying to create a fearful atmosphere. The DC is portraying that the MCC has not done anything though we have taken up several initiatives. We have launched several initiatives that attracted the attention of national media including the Telecare facility. We are being targeted as soon as the limelight was on the MCC. The DC wants to claim credit for the initiatives.” 

Not only this, the DC is constantly calling the higher-ups in the Government including the Urban Development Department and has been complaining to them that no work is being done in the MCC, Shilpa Nag claimed. “She is intentionally creating a bad atmosphere without knowing the ground reality. There is no conducive environment to work in Mysuru though the DC is not my reporting officer,” Shilpa said. 

“If the DC has any personal grudge against me let her take it out on me but why target the officials who are all working non-stop to combat the pandemic since the second wave started The atmosphere in Mysuru was too stifling to function anymore,” the Officer alleged.