Succumb to ‘unfair’ demands of top officers or get ready to be axed: CE

80% funds meant for de-silting canals go into coffers of ‘Babus’
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 3: Succumb to the unfair and undue demands and dictates of the top officers or get ready to be axed. This is perhaps the `Mantra’ to survive  and get prize posting and then continue the full term or even more, in the State Government for all the officers.
Making startling revelations and raising serious allegations against the ‘top people’ at the helm of affairs, a serving Chief Engineer of the PHE,I&FC department has dared to expose the things under the carpet in the department and revealed how he was victimized and shifted within five months just for not obeying the dictates of top officers.
In a letter to the media, certain trade unions and some top people in the corridors of power,  Chief Engineer, Design Inspection and Quality Control  (DIQC)  PN Bali has alleged that he was shifted prematurely only because he refused to hand over Scorpio vehicle of an Executive Engineer under him to  a top officer of his department. Not only this, he also refused undue favours to the `top people’ at the helm of affairs in the PHE, I&FC by committing frauds and adopting unfair means.
Referring to today’s news report of Excelsior with regard to 235 premature transfers of officers including 45 IAS and 230 IPS officers, Chief Engineer Bali said, they may have some reservations as they did not dare to speak about the reason for the same  but somebody has to come forward to  sacrifice and expose such things. A Govt official will only speak when the ‘water  will flow above head’.
“Enough is enough, deliberate humiliation of officers in meetings, threats about transfers has become habit of some top IAS officers who can go to any extent to get the things done as per their sweet will. Unfortunately, the political people at the top also meekly succumb to their pressure. Only blue eyed officers who are ready to do every unfair task for top officials, can survive under such circumstances,” Bali revealed.
Referring to his transfer orders, Bali said he remained posted hardly for four and half months as Chief Engineer I&FC Jammu and was removed on 22-12-2017. A `favourite officer’ was placed at his place and he was also given the additional charge of CCDU.
Exposing nexus of `officers-contractors’ in I&FC and plunder of  public exchequer worth cores on the name de-silting and repair/maintenance of  canals/ Khuls every year, the Chief Engineer alleged that hardly 10-15 % percent amount is actually utilized for this purpose and rest of the amount goes into the coffers of the people at the helm of affairs from `top to bottom’.
“This is big fraud committed every year. Not only Engineers but those sitting at the top also share this booty. The Chief Minister and Governor must intervene and save the public money from loot and plunder. I tried to save this money and go for actual works which would have been completed within tens of lakhs. I initiated the process for the same as well but a top officer called me in the office and scolded for it. Thereafter, I was thrown out,” Bali maintained.
He claimed that every year funds to the tune of Rs 5 to 6 crore are released for the de-silting of canals/ Khuls  here and Rs 15 crore for the maintenance/ repair of the same. “But hardly 10 % money out of Rs 15 crore is utilized and rest is withdrawn through fraudulent bills. That goes into the pockets of the people sitting at the top as well.”
Disclosing the modus operandi of the officers, he said no tenders are called for the same in violation of standing Government rules. No payments are made every year. These are deliberately put on hold for the year or more.  No senior officer including SE checks the performance of work on ground after de-silting. The water is allowed to flow in the canals  and the payments are made on pick and choose basis and only to those contractors who are ready to pay more graft or share the handsome amount with officers. A huge liability of some contractors is still pending for the last couple of months and they keep on moving behind the Executive Engineers for release of their money.
“There is strong need to break the nexus  and save the public money,” the Chief Engineer maintained.
Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC, M Raju when contacted and asked for his comments about the serious allegations raised by a serving Chief Engineer against some top officers, he said Bali’s performance was not up to the mark. He failed to submit projects in time for which they had to face embarrassment from the Union Ministry as well.
On non-performing basis,  he was transferred from his post.  Raju said every top officer has his  own official vehicles and it is not true that he has been shifted just for the denial of vehicle by a senior officer.

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