Shivamogga: Congress MLA Gopal Krishna Belur Tuesday issued a 15-day ultimatum to Sagar tahsildar R Pratibha to streamline taluk administration, warning that she could face transfer if operations did not improve.The confrontation unfolded during a review meeting in Sagar, where the MLA objected to the officer’s style of functioning. A video of Belur warning the tahsildar has since gone viral on social media and drawn criticism from various quarters.During the meeting, the legislator specifically took exception to Pratibha’s practice of videographing crackdown operations on her mobile phone and sharing the footage with mediapersons. Pratibha, who took charge two months ago, has been conducting field raids against illegal extraction of laterite (red) stone across Sagar taluk. Revenue estimates indicate that illegal stone quarries are operating without mandatory clearances in both forest and non-forest areas. To document evidence and maintain transparency, she had been filming the operations during field visits and sharing the footage with the media.“Work comes first, publicity later. Stop making videos of crackdown operations and sharing them with news outlets. Drop this public relations approach and focus strictly on working honestly according to official procedure,” Belur told her during the review meeting.Questioning her administrative control over lower-level staff, the MLA directed assistant commissioner-rank authorities to intervene if administrative speed did not improve immediately.“I brought you here on transfer with the expectation that a woman officer would deliver solid results on the ground. Your responsibility is to take village accountants into the field, execute tasks, and submit formal reports to the administration. Bring matters to my notice first,” Belur said during the KDP proceedings, referring to complaints about delayed file processing at the taluk office and alleged misconduct at the Anandapura Hobli Nadakacheri.Giving her 15 days to clear pending work and improve administrative efficiency, the three-time Congress MLA said he would recommend her deputation to the Shivamogga district headquarters if taluk office operations did not improve.Speaking to TOI, Chirag of Rainland Trust said the public reprimand of an officer for her anti-quarrying drives was condemnable.
