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| PHE Kashmir engages 1000 casual workers against 750 posts | | | Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, June 16: The promises of a clean administration remain a distant dream especially when it comes to performance of the PHE Department in Kashmir.
The Minister for PHE, I&FC Sukhnanadan Chowdhary while trying to set the house in order is punishing selectively the officials under his control for the `illegal' engagement of need-based casual labourers in various division of PHE Kashmir, while officials having political backing were allowed to go scot free.
The cases for regularization of 1000's of permanent daily wagers of PHE Kashmir are now at stake as they have been mixed with other 100's of fresh illegal need-base casual labourers who are without any proper order from any competent authorities in PHE Kashmir. All the rules and regulations are been violated while making such illegal appointments. As per the authorization letter No: PW/S/Hyd/301/2005, dated: 15-02-2006 only 750 need base casual labourers were to be engaged in Kashmir PHE, but the process is still continuing till date and as per the sources the number crosses to over 45000 in the state. All the government orders including order No: 239-F, dated: 29-11-2005, decision of the meeting held by chief Secretary, cabinet decision No; 116/4 dated 11-05-2005 are being over-ruled by the officers of these divisions while making these illegal appointments.
In the third week of May 2015 Minister for PHE, I & FC Chowdhary Sukhnandan has suspended the then Executive Engineer of PHE Mechanical division North Sopore for preparing and furnishing the list of 260 un-paid need base casual labourers of his division to the Superintendent PHE Mechanical Circle North in the year 2014, where as some other executive engineers of the same circle and department who have also engaged illegally the daily wagers/ need base casual labourers in their division in the same year 2013-14 were left free and spared for the reason best known to the Minister for PHE, I&FC itself.
Despite being paid salaries to these daily wagers/ need base casual workers.
Early Times has learnt that 100's of illegally daily wagers/ need based casual labourers were engaged in PHE Rural Mechanical Division Srinagar, PHE Ground water Division Srinagar, PHE M&P division Srinagar, PHE Mechanical Division Srinagar in the year 2013-14. In PHE Mechanical Rural Division Srinagar the reliable sources disclosed that more than 125 need base casual labourers (excluding 240 numbers of old need-base casual labourers) were illegally engaged in the year 2013-14 against the handsome consideration by the officials of the said division including Executive Engineer itself. The engagement effect of most of these need-base casual labourers was given prior to 2013-14 and for that purpose supervisory staff was compelled to provide the daily attendance of such illegal appointees. These need base casual labourers were placed at various defunct mechanical lift water schemes where as some of them are working as domestic labourers in the house of officers. In addition to new illegally appointed causal labourers/need base, there was already huge and surplus number of daily wages, ITI-causal labourers and need base labourers working in the said division. Due to the overburden of these need base casual labourers, 12 to 15 numbers of these labourers were engaged on pity small schemes apart from regular employees. They are been paid out of O & M head which indirectly affects the smooth functioning of water supply schemes.
In PHE Ground Water Division Srinagar, sources said more than 40 need base casual labourers (excluding existing 60 of old need-base casual labourers) were illegally engaged during the year 2014 and out of them some were being shown engaged prior to 2014. The Head Assistant who also holds the charge of cashier of the said division played the key cashier of the division is continuously working as cashier in the said division for 13 years since 2003 till date and only was transferred once to Rural Mechanical division Srinagar for two years in 2009-10 where he also holds the charge of cashier. He again managed to get back himself transferred to Ground water division Srinagar as cashier after a short period of time. In the year 2014 the said Cashier was promoted to Head Assistant and was again posted to this division against all service rules. He also kept the charge of Cashier with him after being promoted to Head Assistant. The said division is dealing with the construction of bore-wells and does not own any mechanical lift schemes etc. Most of the bore-wells are outsourced to private contractors by the said division and the daily wagers/ need base casual labourers have no work to do in this division other than attending the houses of offices for domestic help. Most of the departmental Rig-machines of this division are defunct at present and the regular staff of these Rig-machines and verified need base casual labourers are also idle at present.
Similarly many need base casual labourers were also engaged in PHE Mechanical Division Srinagar and PHE M&P Division Srinagar during the year 2014. And the salaries were also provided to them. These need base casual labourers are also surplus and have no specific work to do.
Many permanent daily wagers (PDLs) of PHE Kashmir whose cases for regularization has already been forwarded to Administrative department said that the official involved in engaging these need base casual labourers should be punished in the same way as was punished the then Executive Engineer PHE Mechanical Division North Sopore in May-2015 by the present PHE Minister. They further claim that these corrupt officials are playing with their carriers as they made their services too suspicious in the eyes of higher officers.
These PDLs while recalling the event happened in PHE Mechanical Division South Awantipora during the month of January in the year 2011when illegal engagement of almost 20 need-base casual labourers got exposed. During which two AEEs (Mech), three JEs(Mech) and three clerks of that division were suspended and attached by the than Chief Engineer G. R. Zargar and Superintendent Engineer PHE Mechanical Circle South Kashmir after the strong direction from than Minister for PHE, I&FC. The entire amount disbursed to those need-base casual labourers as salaries for a year were remitted back to treasury by those suspended officials. The crime branch Kashmir also took the cognizance of the matter at that time and shoots a letter to Xen PHE Mechanical Division South Awantipora and asked him information regarding daily wagers, need-base casual labourers etc. vide No: CR/MSD/11/568, dated: 17-01-2011 against case No: P.V No. 147/2008 P/S Crime Branch Kashmir. The PDLs of PHE Kashmir demanded and requested to Minister for PHE, I&FC and Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir that stern action on similar lines should again be taken against the officials involved and the amount paid to these need-base casual labourers should be re-collected from the salaries of these official and be remitted back to government treasury, so that an example is set for future.
It is pertinent to mention that there are many water supply schemes in the Kashmir under the control of PHE Kashmir which are being closed by the land-owners now and then for the want of daily wager post against the compensation of land for such schemes. Some schemes are still incomplete for the same reasons, while as on the other side need-base casual labourers are been engaged by the un-authorized officers on fast track basis on account of handsome consideration and relations with these officers. |
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