Name board creates confusion; Rakshith was transferred as UD Minister’s Private Secretary on June 8

Mysuru: It’s been over a month since K.R. Rakshith, the previous Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) of Mysuru Development Authority (MDA), who was holding additional charge as MDA Commissioner was transferred on June 8, no successor has been appointed in his place, affecting the smooth going of the office, severely inconveniencing the public.

While Rakshith was transferred as the Private Secretary to Urban Development (UD) Minister Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah, his name plate remains affixed to the wall outside his chamber in MDA Office located on JLB Road in city.

This has created confusion among the general public, whether Rakshith continues to hold charge at MDA or his successor by the same name has assumed charge as Commissioner.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, who holds additional charge as MDA Chairman, should clarify, asked the public.

Mysuru, popularly known as Pensioner’s Paradise, has been witnessing a real estate boom, with residential layouts being developed in large numbers, extending beyond Outer Ring Road (ORR). For any site development related approvals, MDA permission is a must and the realtors and public visit the office to get required approvals. However, in the absence of MDA Commissioner, the works have been stalled, it is said.

It is widely debated among the public that with Dr. Yathindra being the UD Minister, he may lose interest in keeping it running smoothly, especially after his family’s involvement in MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority, which later became MDA) site scam, with his father the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his mother Parvathi, maternal uncle Mallikarjun Swamy and the land owner, were named in the Lokayukta FIR filed in relation to the scam.

Secretary-cum-SLAO

Meanwhile, in a latest development, MDA Secretary K. Johnson has been given additional charge as the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) and Voters Enrolment Officer of T. Narasipur Assembly Constituency.

This may also further affect the functioning of MDA.