*Unrest becomes excuse to justify bureaucratic slackness
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 16: Establishing that directives being issued by the Administrative Secretaries for enquiries into flouting of Government rules are not being strictly adhered to, Development Commissioner Power (DCP) has failed to submit report into blatant violation of Power Development Department’s Transfer Policy by the Incharge Chief Engineer during the past nearly three months despite the fact that he had to accomplish the task within a period of 30 days only.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that on June 6, 2016, the Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Power Development Department, Dheeraj Gupta received a complaint alleging violation of Transfer Policy issued vide Government Order No.60-PDD of 2016 dated April 2, 2016 by the Incharge Superintending Engineer Ashwani Gupta, holding the additional charge of the post of Chief Engineer, EM&RE Jammu.
It was alleged in the complaint that the Incharge Chief Engineer had ordered transfers of Junior Engineers on extraneous considerations. The Commissioner/Secretary referred the complaint to the Development Commissioner Power for verification and the DCP vide his communication concluded that seven transfer orders issued by Incharge Chief Engineer vide Nos.122 and 124 dated May 2, 2016 and No.131 and 132 dated May 6, 2017 were in violation of the Transfer Policy.
The DCP also brought to the notice of the Commissioner/ Secretary that these transfer orders were issued purportedly “in the interest of administration” but no interest either of the “general public” or of the “administration” was served by violating notified policy or accommodating officers from one sensitive posting to another sensitive posting without any justification/recording reasons, sources said.
While observing that the orders were issued without merit and competence and in violation of the policy by the Incharge Chief Engineer EM&RE Jammu, the Commissioner/Secretary, Power Development Department, Dheeraj Gupta vide Government Order No.115-PDD dated July 28, 2016 cancelled all the orders issued in violation of Transfer Policy and reverted the transferred officials to their previous places of posting. Moreover, all the powers relating to transfer of employees vested in Chief Engineer, EM&RE Jammu were withdrawn till further orders.
The Development Commissioner Power, who had conducted verification of the complaint which formed the basis for withdrawal of powers of Incharge Chief Engineer, was directed vide this order to conduct enquiry into the allegations leveled in the complaint dated June 6, 2016 and in the entire gamut of circumstances leading to issuance of transfer orders. He was explicitly told to accomplish this task by submitting report/recommendations within a period of 30 days positively.
However, the Development Commissioner Power has not submitted his report/recommendations despite lapse of nearly three months, sources said, adding “in this way he has not honoured the directions issued by his senior officer”.
“The dilly-dallying approach of the Development Commissioner Power is notwithstanding the fact that Commissioner/Secretary, Power Development Department had observed in his order dated July 28, 2016 that action on the part of Incharge Chief Engineer was a case of insubordination and abuse of power and an attempt to thwart the implementation of the notified policy which otherwise is aimed at bringing transparency and accountability in these transfers”, sources regretted.
When contacted, Development Commissioner Power, Sheikh-ul-Aijaz said, “the prevailing unrest in Kashmir valley is the reason behind delay in completion of task assigned by the Commissioner/Secretary, Power Development Department”, adding “some officials including Incharge Chief Engineer against whom complaint was lodged were required to be examined and because of unrest it was not possible for them to travel to Kashmir valley”.
“Now, I have almost completed the task and report will be submitted to the Commissioner/Secretary shortly”, he said in response to a question. He, however, failed to specify the time-frame for submitting the report and recommendations to the Government.
Responding to another question, he said, “I assure you that nothing will be under the carpet and true picture will be projected before the Government”.
“The delay in furnishing report is notwithstanding the fact that initial verification, which led to withdrawal of powers of Chief Engineer, was conducted by none else than the Development Commissioner Power”, sources said, adding “it seems that unrest in Kashmir valley has become an excuse for everybody in the Government to justify the bureaucratic slackness. Moreover, the fate of enquiry into this case is a testimony to the fact that directives being issued by the Administrative Secretaries for enquiries into flouting of Government rules are not being strictly adhered to by the concerned officers”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Transfer Policy of the Power Development Department lays down detailed guidelines for effecting transfers for various categories of officers including the Junior Engineers. The Transfer Policy provides for transfer of officers/JEs from a sensitive to non-sensitive posting and vice-versa.
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