Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 11: Over 200 teachers from several zones of district Udhampur were made to face harassment and suffer today as they were deputed by senior officers from the district to face inquiry in the State Vigilance office Jammu today in connection with the fire extinguishers scam in the Education Department.
Reports said that on the basis of telephonic messages from their respective Zonal Education officers, it was conveyed to the teachers/ masters from Udhampur to rush to the Vigilance Office Jammu on August 11 to face inquiry in connection with the purchases of fire extinguishers for the schools. Instead of sending purchase committee members or the concerned ZEOs, the officers sent the teachers to just stage drama and allegedly save their own skin.
More than 200 teachers from Zones like Udhampur, Jib, Tikri, Majalta, Babey, Ghordi, Kulwanta, Ramnagar, Pancheri etc covering long distance and facing lot of hardships, reached the Jammu Vigilance Office at around 8 am today. Majority of these teachers had nothing to do with the purchases made during 2010-11 by the School Education Department. The ZEOs and other officers who were connected with the purchases however, avoided to present themselves for inquiry.
The senior Vigilance officers in Jammu office when saw a large crowd of teachers in their office in the morning they were surprised and asked for what they were there in the office. The teachers told that they have been directed by the CEO Udhampur and concerned ZEOs to report to the Vigilance Office Jammu in Jammu to face inquiry in connection with the fire extinguishers purchases. At least one teacher from each school had arrived this office. Then a senior officer of the rank of SP told them that they have not been summoned and only members of the purchase committee or concerned ZEOs have been summoned for the inquiry. The officer then talked to CEO Udhampur, Bishan Singh on phone and pulled him for enacting drama and sending all the teachers to Jammu, putting them to lot of harassment without any reason. He also asked him to go through the content of the letter sent from SVO office.
The teachers then got agitated over this issue and many of them then moved to the office of Director School Education Jammu and narrated the whole matter there.
SSP Vigilance (UDR sector) Shabir Ahmed Malik when contacted said that an FIR has been registered in connection with the purchases of fire extinguishers made on very exhorbitant rates and without inviting any tenders for thousands of Govt schools by Education Department. So, a letter had been sent to CEO Udhampur to depute concerned purchase committee members/ zonal or concerned officers to face inquiry. But unfortunately, they sent a large number of teachers without caring for the studies of the students and even sent those who had nothing to do with the case.
CEO Udhampur, Bishan Singh when contacted said that they had received letter from Vigilance Office about 10-12 days back. Singh said he had asked all the ZEOs to send concerned purchase committee members or concerned Masters / teachers but due to some communication gap it has happened. He admitted that there was laxity and some teachers from far flung area had to suffer due to this misunderstanding and communication gap. When asked what action he is going to take against the ZEOs concerned, the CEO said he has been summoned by the Director School Education Jammu Yasha Mudgal in this connection. She has also taken serious note of it. She may initiate some probe or action in this regard, Mr Singh added.
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