Date:17/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/17/stories/2008041759900300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Gazetted officers stage dharna

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Gazetted Officers Federation took out a march to the Secretariat and organised a dharna in front of it on Wednesday to protest against the physical and mental torture being meted out to the executing officers by some of the panchayat administrators. In a statement, the federation alleged that the executing officers were being threatened by the panchayats to fully utilise the Plan funds. But the executing officers had to observe certain formalities before utilising the funds, otherwise they had to face audit consequences. The Agricultural Officer of the Udayagiri Krishi Bhavan in Kannur district was among the victims. The dharna was inaugurated by State general secretary of the AITUC Kanam Rajendran. — Special Correspondent