People upset as heatwave hours flouted at govt offices in North Karnataka

Kalaburagi: The state govt has revised working hours at its offices in nine districts of the North Karnataka region in view of the ongoing heatwave, mandating staff to report by 8 am and allowing them to leave by 1.30 pm.However, the move has drawn flak from the public, who allege that employees in several offices are turning up well after 9 am and leaving before 1 pm. While govt employees in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadagiri, Raichur, Ballari, Vijayanagara and Koppal in Kalyana Karnataka, as well as Vijayapura and Bagalkot in Belagavi division, are said to be benefiting from the revised timings, staff in Gadag, Haveri and other districts have demanded similar hours. Muttanna Nadageri, founder president of Kalyana Naadu Vikasa Vedike, Kalaburagi, said most Group A and B officers are not reporting on time. "They come only around 10.30-11 am and leave by noon. We can't expect much work to be done during such short hours. Some officials even lie about meetings and leave office well before the stipulated hours," he claimed. Sangamesh Sagar, Vijayapura district president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, said only Group D staff are seen at offices by 8 am. "Public, especially farmers, are the worst sufferers. According to our observation, only 20-30% staff are present in govt offices by 8 am," he said. Action has also been initiated in some districts. In Koppal, DC Suresh Itnal recently pulled up officials for their absence after finding many district offices without staff even at 10 am on April 21.