The Times of India             27.09.2013

Dr A Manjaiah Shetty back as Mangalore City Corporation health officer

MANGALORE: In a 'special case', the state government has deemed it fit to bring Dr A Manjaiah Shetty back as the health officer of Mangalore City Corporation. This will be the second stint for Dr Shetty as health officer of MCC - post retirement. Dr Shetty, who joined the services of the city corporation as a medical officer on July 18, 1984 superannuated from services on November 30, 2010 and came back to the post on contract basis nine days later.

Incidentally, then minister for urban development Suresh Kumar had ordered the suspension of Dr Shetty for what he had described as dereliction of duty on October 22, 2008. Lapses cited by Suresh Kumar during his inspection of the city included failure to handle solid waste management and proper upkeep of land fill site at Pachchanady. Dr Shetty was reinstated on November 11, 2008 pending final disposal of the departmental inquiry against him.

The urban development department in its wisdom decided to quash the disciplinary proceedings against Dr Shetty on November 9, 2011 when he was in the first of his extended stints as the city's health officer post retirement. Dr Shetty's contract ended on December 8, 2011 following which the civic body kept him at a barge pole's distance mainly on account of the stand taken by Suresh Kumar not to give him a further go handling city's health.

Then deputy commissioner N S Channappa Gowda taking note of spurt in cases of malaria had brought Dr Sudarshan from ICDS (Urban) department on deputation to head the civic body's health wing on June 26, 2012. Ajith Kumar Hegde Shanady, commissioner of MCC pursuant to the government order appointing Dr Shetty as the health officer vide order dated Na Aa Ee 1111 MMC-2012 dated September 23, relieved Dr Sudarshan from his post on Thursday.

Ajith Kumar told TOI that he was duty-bound by the order, which states that Dr Shetty will remain in the post for a period of one year or till such time that the corporation appointed someone as health officer, whichever was earlier. Interestingly, the corporation in its council meeting on August 27, 2012 had batted strongly to bring back Dr Shetty to head the city's malaria control cell and had even sent a resolution to this effect to the then government.