Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 29: Exposing tall claims of transparency and good governance of the new administration under Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu and former Governor Satya Pal Malik, 131 PWD Sub Divisions and 32 Divisions are lying headless for the last several months while more than 250 posts of Junior Engineers (Civil) are vacant in the department.
Official sources told the EXCELSIOR that with non-serious approach of the officers at the helm of affairs in the department, the smooth functioning , not only in PWD/ R&B, but various other departments/ wings like, Tourism, REW, SSA, PMGSY, JDA, SIDCO etc, where PWD/R&B sends officials on deputation, is also badly affected.
Over 170 Assistant Engineers (Civil) , who became eligible for the promotion as Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) about five years ago, are facing stagnation, despite the fact that they have submitted several representations to the senior officers from Commissioner/ Secretary to the rank of Chief Secretary and Advisor.
Sources further revealed that a few junior subordinates of the Commissioner/Secretary R&B, who enjoy latter’s trust, are not projecting clear picture to him. With this, a large number of posts of AEEs and Executive Engineers are lying vacant in PWD and allied wings. It said that the files normally does not move, till some aggrieved engineers approach a bureaucrat/ senior officer for seeking favours and pushing files further to get all hurdles cleared by adopting any means.
Data compiled from the PWD/R&B and its allied wings through RTI and otherwise, indicated that presently, 33 posts of AEEs are lying vacant in various R&B Sub Divisions of the Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty PMGSY Sub Divisions and 16 Tourism/ JKTDC Sub Divisions besides 13 Sub Divisions in Rural Engineering Wing of RDD are lying headless for the last about five months to one year.
Six R&B Sub Divisions under Mughal Road Project, four in SIDCO, three in J&K Housing Board, three under Store & Procurement Wing, two in Jammu Development Authority (JDA), two in State Forest Corporation, two in Relief Organisation, two in Archives and Archeology and one each in SKUAST, Horticulture and Science and Technology are lying vacant.
Sources said about 200 Assistant Engineers are facing stagnation for the last seven years. During last seven years only 44 AEs were promoted and among them 33 were Diploma holders and just 11 Degree holders, setting aside the fixed criteria of 80:20 ratio among Degree and Diploma holders as per rules. Some blue eyed I/C AEs have been given the charge of some Sub Divisions for which even they are not eligible.
Even one of the blue eyed AEs, have been accorded the charge of three Sub Divisions in Tourism Jammu, Cable Car SD and Golf Course Sub Division Sidhra, Jammu. The degree holders are facing rough deal for the last many years due to the reason best known to the officers at the helm of affairs, the sources added.
Giving more details, the sources revealed that important R&B Sub Divisions like, R S Pura, Bishnah, BC Road Sub Division Bhaderwah, SD Investigations Jammu, SD Kishtwar, Thathri, Chhatroo and Banihal Sub Divisions are lying headless. Even Delhi Sub Division of R&B Division No. 2 of Jammu is lying vacant since long. Similarly, the posts of AEEs like, Technical Officer to X-En Doda, Chhatroo, Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Doda and Leh, SD Nyoma, SD Nubra, Kargil SD -I, SD-II, R&B SD Sankoo etc are also lying vacant.
Worst is the condition in REW/ RDD where just technical assistants hired on contractual basis are performing the jobs in various Sub Divisions. Seven SDs of REW in district Srinagar, SD Kathua, Banihal, Mahore, Shopian,Bhaderwah, Surankote etc are also headless.
Many Sub Divisions in the PMGSY like- Pulwama, Shopian, Handwara, Khaltsi,Kargil-II,Mandi, Darhal, Dudu, Bhagwan, Kishtwar, Thathri, Gandoh, Chingam, Marwah and Reasi (TO to Xn) are laying vacant.
Sources said not only Sub Divisions, more than 30 PWD/ R&B Divisions are also lying vacant in J&K UT. Some important Divisions like, Sports Council Kashmir, R&B Division Tangdhar, Police Housing Corporation, REW Budgam, REW Kishtwar, PMGSY Mendhar, X-En Horticulture Planning and Marketing, DIQC Jammu, J&K Housing Board, besides many Tourism Development t Authorities have been kept headless for the last more than one year now.
Sources indicated that these Divisions are lying headless because the authorities instead of filling up of these vacancies in fair and transparent manner, are doing it in piece meals. Moreover, some officers were sitting on the files just to accommodate their favorites among the diploma holders, the sources added.
A senior officer in the R&B disclosed that more than 250 posts of Junior Engineers are lying vacant for the last several years in the PW(R&B) department. He said on an average about 100 engineers are retiring in the Department every year from JE to Chief Engineer level.
For the last four years, no recruitment of JE level in the R&B was conducted. The shortage of JEs in the PWD has also affected the smooth functioning of the Department. At present, single JE is holding charges of 2 to 3 posts. It affects the quality and even pace of work.
He said the things have gone more worst in the PWD under Governor and Lt Governor in Jammu and Kashmir and need due attention of the Lt Governor and the Chief Secretary.
Commissioner/ Secretary, R&B, Khurshid Shah when contacted said the number being projected as per information available with him was not so much. He said the process of filling of these posts has been set in motion and by next 10 to 15 days, all the vacant posts will be filled up.
When asked, is there any shortage of engineers with the Department, Shah said,” There was no shortage of engineers with R&B. Officers being busy with Back to Village and allied Central Govt programmes could not give much attention towards this job. We will finish this task most probably within 10 days,” Shah maintained.
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