Mysuru MP Pratap Simha wants to know expenditure incurred by Sindhuri-led administration in Covid management, hints that the executive can change a DC
Sindhuri says she has been targeted ever since becoming Mysuru DC; sources say her tough actions have rubbed some netas the wrong way
BENGALURU:
Is Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri in the cross-hairs of some (male) politicos whose interests may have been affected by her administrative decisions? It would seem so, going by the sudden decision of BJP Member of Parliament from Mysuru Pratap Simha wanting an ‘account’ of the expenditure incurred on Covid management in the district. Not too long ago, the same MP was known to have given her his backing in the fight against the coronavirus.
On Sunday, Simha not only quizzed the 2009 batch Karnataka cadre lady IAS officer on the Covid-related expenditure involved but also hinted at her place in the ‘pecking order’. Speaking to mediapersons, he said, “The executive has the power to overrule the administrative authority and the DC must not think that administrative power is supreme. The executive has the power to change a DC.”
Simha’s statement came a day after former JDS minister GT Deve Gowda had dared him to transfer Sindhuri. In a reply to Gowda, Simha had said that he was ‘not that big’ to transfer a DC. Furthermore, the Mysuru MP claimed to be ‘shocked’ at the information that the Mysuru administration had spent Rs 36 crore of the allocated Rs 41 crore on Covid management.
Sindhuri’s rejoinder
In a rejoinder, Sindhuri issued a detailed press note on the expenditure incurred in the struggle to control the spread of the dreaded virus.
“The sole and only focus of the district administration and of the Deputy Commissioner, Mysuru, is Covid-19 management and control. It shall continue to be the same, no matter what,” she said. “I have been the target of non-stop motivated and personal attacks from the day I joined Mysuru as Deputy Commissioner. I have ignored them, as during the pandemic I shall devote each ounce of my energy to Covid-19 control,” she added.
Continuing, Sindhuri said, “When the personal attacks were unable to distract the district administration from its work, false and irresponsible statements with respect to Covid-19 management have started. These statements, though false, but coming from persons holding high responsible positions, create panic, shake the confidence of the people and actually harm the fight against Covid-19.”
Sindhuri did not mention Simha in her press release but assured Mysuru’s taxpayers that the district administration’s Covid management has been exemplary and that everyone was working 24×7 on Covid control.
Mysuru achievements
Her press release mentions the following achievements of the district administration:
- Mysuru at 72% has the highest vaccination percentage in the state.
- The case fatality rate (CFR) in Mysuru is one of the lowest in the state.
- Testing in Mysuru is about 150% of the target given by the state.
- Mysuru was the first district to implement a Computerised Bed Allotment System in November 2020 itself. This enabled Mysuru to handle thousands of admissions during the second wave.
- The Covid Mitra initiative to give prompt healthcare to Covid patients is a model for the state. More than 30,000 patients have been given medical consultations.
- Contact tracing and quarantine watch of primary contacts is silently and tirelessly going on. Thousands of primary contacts are tracked and tested everyday.
- The Mysuru district administration had on April 13 itself started screening travellers from Bengaluru.
- The cases in Mysuru are on the decline and we are working towards ‘Covid Mukt Mysuru’ by July 1.
“All will understand that there can be no end to motivated and false allegations, no matter how many replies one gives. There is no accountability of those who are making these allegations,” Sindhuri maintained.
Referring to the utilization of Disaster Management Funds for management of Covid-19 from March 2020 till date, Sindhuri said, “Broadly, Rs 36 crore has been spent on Covid medicines, Covid Care Centre establishment, payment of staff for testing, consumables for testing, etc.”
‘Extraneous reasons’
“The above expenditures have been made by the Health department for Covid-19 management…On one side an accusation is made that medicines are not being procured quickly and in the same breath allegations are also made about why money has been spent. No specific allegation has been made whatsoever. And anyone is welcome to scrutinise the accounts. Each and every expenditure has been as per financial norms, prescribed procedure and guidelines of the government. In any case, all these expenditures are subject to audit by the CAG in due course, and the present issues are being raised for extraneous reasons,” the Mysuru DC stated.
Hurting neta interests?
According to sources in Mysuru, some politicians are not happy with Rohini Sindhuri after she shut down a few step-down hospitals when Covid-positive cases came down in the last couple of days. This could probably have been the trigger for the Mysuru MP wanting to know the expenditure details on Covid-19 management in the district.
Another source said that Sindhuri had taken action against a few private hospitals and cleared some lake and government land encroachments, which has led to the current backlash from some ‘netas’.
TheBengaluruLive contacted Sindhuri for her response on who is targeting her, and why, but she declined comment.
