Transport chief moves out to PCB

Hyderabad: In a significant development, Rajiv Sharma, IAS, who was posted as commissioner, transport, has refused to take charge of his new job and got himself transferred to Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) as membersecretary.
The government has accordingly issued orders on Monday, top sources told The Times of India. Rajiv Sharma who was commissioner, agriculture,was transferred and posted to transport department as commissioner in a recent reshuffle of IAS officials.
However, he did not assume office fuelling speculation in the bureaucratic circles.
The government had posted an IAS officer, after a gap of nearly three years, to head the crucial transport wing. The department is currently being run by V Malyadri, a non-IAS officer, on the specific instructions from chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Ever since Sharma was posted, there were rumours that he was unwilling to join the department as Malyadri was reportedly mobilising support of his “friends and well wishers� to keep Rajiv Sharma off the commissioner’s post.
Surprisingly, Sharma did not give any indication about not taking up his new post and reportedly told the government that he would assume charge of his new posting once Sutirtha Battarchaya, IAS, who was posted as his successor in agriculture department, returns from abroad.
Subsequently, Rajiv Sharma sought two days leave from the government and finally, requested for transfer from the transport department itself.
This raised many eyebrows in the administrative circles. It is believed that Sharma, known for his soft disposition, was not willing to take up his new assignment since Malyadri has his roots well-entrenched in the department. Sharma was also worried about the other senior officers in the transport department, known for their temperamental behaviour.
Even after being posted as commissioner, Rajiv Sharma had allowed Malyadri to effect some transfers and postings recently and kept himself away from the entire process. However, top government sources say that another IAS officer would be posted as commissioner shortly.