The staffers staged a
protest in front of the MCC main office in the city on Wednesday. The
agitators, including a few civic workers, said that JD(S) Corporator
Nataraj pressured and harassed Zone 9 development officer Ninga Shetty
to approve road repair works before getting an official approval from
MCC. The agitators said that it becomes difficult for them to work if
the people’s representatives exert pressure on them to do illegal works.

The
agitating employees, holding placards that read ‘respect government
officials’, ‘stop goondaism’, raised slogans against Nataraj. However,
the agitators called off the protest after Mayor M J Ravikumar promised
to hold an enquiry and take appropriate action. The Mayor said he would
convene a meeting in this regard on April 15.

According to Ninga
Shetty, a contractor took up repair works of the Cauvery Main Road in
Zone 9 before seeking an approval from MCC. As MCC Commissioner
G Jagadeesha is deputed for bypoll duty in Nanjangud Assembly (reserved)
constituency and because the model code of conduct is in force, the
approval for works got delayed.

“Though I had explained to the
corporator about the legal aspects, he used abusive language and
mentally harassed me to approve the works,” Ninga Shetty said. Shetty
has filed a case of mental harassment against the corporator.

MCC Commissioner
G Jagadeesha told DH that people’s representatives should respect
officials and obstructing their work is an offence. “There is no
provision for issuance of new bills for old works and taking up the
works without tender is not permissible,” the commissioner said. He said
the issue has already been discussed with the Deputy Commissioner and
will be taken up once the election duty is over.Nataraj was not
available for comment.