CM orders action against Fisheries officials

bangalore: perhaps for the first time, the fisheries directorate officials, including director abdul hameed, are likely to face disciplinary action for resisting karnataka government's decision to shift the directorate from bangalore to mangalore. sources told the times of indiathat chief minister krishna is understood to have directed the department secretary to initiate disciplinary proceedings against all officers who are lobbying against the shift.``krishna is piqued by the inordinate delay in implementing the government's order issued in june,'' sources added. krishna had announced in his budget speech that the fisheries directorate would be shifted to mangalore to give impetus to marine fishing activity. the need to diversify the activity and commercially exploit the rich marine resources was also the objective behind the proposal. the orders for shifting was issued in june. however, senior officials prevailed upon krishna that it would be appropriate to shift after the legislature session. the session concluded in august. asked about the proposed disciplinary proceedings contemplated by the government against him and other officers, hameed said he was not aware of it. he declined to comment either on the proposal to shift or reasons for its delay. ``i have told my opinion to the government,'' he added. fisheries minister b. ramanath rai said the directorate will be shifted and orders have been issued. ``but the district administration is finding it difficult to find a suitable building to set-up the office,'' he added. the directorate officials are opposed to the shift due to administrative inconvenience. according to them much of the work revolves around the problems of inland fishing which is complicated. ``the directorate needs to interact on a daily basis with their counterparts in irrigation, urban development, mining and rural development and panchayat raj departments which are situated in bangalore. it would be difficult to travel frequently. marine fishing is being looked after by a deputy director in mangalore and assistant directors in udupi, mangalore and karwar and there is no need for a director,'' sources said.