 Mohammad Sarfaraz
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Jan 21: The tall claims of transparency and accountability notwithstanding, a tainted official facing charges of misappropriation and against whom several enquires are pending has been given additional charge of Pampore municipality.
According to reliable sources an order was issued by the Director Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir vide no: DULB/Estt/1565/1274 of 2018 dated 21/12/2018.
"Shri Gh Mohammad Lone I/C Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Qazigund shall hold the charge of Municipal Committee Pampora in addition to his own duties during the leave period, said sources while quoting the order.
Sources said that, there are five Municipal Committees (MCs) in Pulwama district of south Kashmir that includes MC Pulwama, MC Pampore, MC Khrew, MC Awantipora and MC Tral.
"At a time when government is making tall claims of transparency, accountability and work culture, how come it is possible to run various offices whatsoever in addition to his own duties, ULBK is not a temporary department, people visit the sub offices for daily works, and without the official they left the departments in a disappointing mood, with the result it hampers the daily work to a large extent, said sources.
With a strong argument, sources questioned that, for an official like executive officer it is mere wastage of time to run the office at two places, people cannot do justice with MC Qazigund and MC Pampore and the higher authorities at the helm of affairs are misinformed by some selfish interests about the functioning of two offices in a smooth way. Instead of giving charge to the already holding post of Executive officer MC Qazigund, charge should have been given to someone else in the Pulwama district, which could have run the office in a smooth way, sources informed.
However sources further said that in the past, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan had attached the Executive Officer, MC Ganderbal with Director Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir vides order no: 729 DIVCOM 2018 Dated 17-01-2018.
There was also a complaint of sexual harassment against EO MC Ganderbal after which a criminal case vides FIR no" 19/2018 U/S 354,342 Rpc was registered in police station Ganderbal, said sources while quoting the complaints and FIRs.
Sources said that, two cases were registered against the same official in 2016 by Vigilance Organization Kashmir (VoK) vide no: 20/2016-VOK dated 7/10/2016, 19/2016-VOK dated 6/10/2016 for illegal appointments in MC Baramulla.
They said that the said official has served as EO at various places of Kashmir division including Shopian, Sopore, Baramulla, Hajin, Uri, Sumbal, Ganderbal, Magam, Budgam and presently holding charge as EO MC Qazigund, and additional charge of MC Pampore.
Irony is that, the from past many years, the investigation is still in progress, and enquiries have remained on papers only, and the department of ULBK has failed to bring transparency and accountability in their work cultures, sources told Early Times. |
