Karnataka: Official apathy makes elderly man run from pillar to post for rights

RAICHUR: A retired government employee has been forced to walk every day for revision of promotion and pension due to the ‘apathy’ of the district administration. N Abel (82), who retired as deputy tahsildar in 1995, has also received an order from the Regional Commissioner’s office, Kalaburagi, supporting his demand. 

The RC in the letter dated on September 22, 2018 directed the Deputy Commissioner to revise the seniority and report back to the office on the action taken. Despite six months into the order, the district administration has failed to follow instructions of the superior office. Abel talking to The New Indian Express said a junior officer, Eshwarappa, who joined the revenue section in May 26, 1986 was promoted as deputy tahsildar in the later years and was retired as assistant commissioner. 

However, for him, the seniority grade (grade 2) was granted on March 31, 1977. He rued, “Despite I had joined the office in 1977 and was promoted as deputy tahsildar later, seniority grade 2 was not granted.”

Abel said he approached the government to revise the promotion and provide all the due benefits available from 1978. “I had approached the principal secretary of the Revenue Department and the officer instructed the regional commissioner to take a final call and the principal secretary had written to the regional commissioner on January 18, 2018,” he said.

Abel in 1996 had approached the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal seeking a review following the Tribunal order dated on December 4, 1996 which stated that the regional commissioner has to review the inequality in pay scale and promotion of deputy tahsildar group.

Citing this order, the principal secretary directed the regional commissioner to review the pay scale and promotion of Abel. The regional commissioner has now ordered the deputy commissioner to review the same.  While the DC was not available for comments, an officer in the revenue section said as per the orders, he has to be granted promotion but because of elections, it will be delayed by a month.