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PHE Minister's 'blow' on two engineers at lower level
Devolution of powers to Panchayats still an 'enigma'
7/11/2012 7:41:50 PM
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 10: Notwithstanding the fact that the NC led coalition Government's slogan of empowering panchayats and devolution of powers to Panches and Sarpanches is still entangled in politics of coalition compulsions but it is taking a toll of officers and even lower level employees , thanks to 'dictatorial' attitude of Ministers who survive on 'appeasement' policy that too on basic issues of water and power for common people, no matter at the cost of terminating the staff of their concerned departments.
The step taken by the PHE Minister Taj Mohi-u-din in placing two engineers of Public Health Engineering Department, Pattan under suspension for non implementation of what he was given to understand and believe -'non implementation powers to Panchayats has come in for more criticism than any praise and applaud for more than one reason. According to sources in the department, the two engineers of the rank of AEE and JE who have faced the 'wrath' of the angry Minister are actually not to be blamed for the 'lapse' Minister is seeing and in no way warranted as harsh punishment as suspension.
Sources said it was certainly the matter of handing over some small water schemes to the Panchayats to the Panches and Sarpanches of the area and it was on the basis of some complaints by the latter over delay in granting the same by the department. Sources said since these are the assets of the PHE department which demand certain norms , formalities and procedures to be followed before handing over the schemes to representatives at the ground level. Sources said there were no instruction from the higher authorities to hand over the sub division schemes to Panches and Sarpanches of the area and in absence of any directions probably the engineers at the lower level could not take decision on their own.
"This is being seen as not having taken cognizance of the matter and making delay deliberately and depriving the representatives of Panchayats of their 'due right'…", said a senior official of PHE department. "In no sub division of PHE such schemes have so far been handed over to Panchayats and in that backdrop the 'hue and cry' and the prompt action from the concerned Minister is being seen as something unwarranted and uncalled for ….", said a Congress Minister wishing his name not be mentioned. One can understand the sentiments of Panches and Sarpanches and their sense of urgency in such matters but it should not have been merely taken as a matter not having been taken cognizance by the two engineers alone……", he further said adding that the concerned Minister should have taken to task the engineers from the top level first instead of making the two as 'scapegoats'.
Even if it was that the two engineers were not paying heed in the matter and as per the complaints putting unnecessary hurdles in handing over the water schemes , it was for the higher ups to check and see at the departmental level. But , as it is the Ministers, particularly in this department have never been seen 'punishing' the engineers at the higher level, be that Chief Engineer or Superintending Engineer nor even Executive Engineer. For they are always 'blue eyed and pampered' for all apparent reasons, which are too known and clear to be mentioned. The moot question now remains even as the enquiry has been ordered by the Minister into the matter, how long and how much it would take at administrative and clerical level to reinstate them…….?
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