Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 25: Notwithstanding the Government decision of deferring Darbar Move of summer Session this year owing to dreaded COVID for ensuring safety of employees and people, almost all Administrative and Additional Secretaries and other senior officers have shifted to summer capital and did not attend their respective offices in Civil Secretariat , Jammu with the result the people of Jammu region have been ignored and left at the mercy of God.
According to sources, the General Administrative Department (GAD) on April 20 this year issued an order regarding deferring of Darbar Move in view of dreaded COVID and all Administative Secretaries were asked to make arrangements in this regard so that Move offices can function at both places i .e in Civil Secretariat Srinagar and Jammu respectively. The order was issued by GAD on the decision of the UT Government.
However, as per sources, the orders remained confined to official files only as Administrative Secretaries as well as Additional Secretaries and Special Secretaries shifted to Summer Secretariat and did not attend their Jammu offices while as per Government directives the Administrative Secretaries were asked to ensure functioning of their offices at both the places. Sources said the administrative secretaries were even asked that they should attend Civil Secretariat Jammu for 15 days and Srinagar for other 15 days in a month but this practice does not exist on ground with the result the people visiting Jammu Secretariat in respect of their day to day problems face difficulties in pursuing their files regarding their cases pending in different offices.
Sources said this way the masses of Jammu are being ignored and not heard as the Administrative Secretaries and other officers are enjoying the moderate climate at summer capital and remian stationed at Srinagar.
Sources said in view of Government decision rosters were made by GAD for attending their offices at both the places Srinagar and Jammu to redress the grievances of masses of the two regions but the same practice has not been enforced on ground adding to the woes of common masses of Jammu.
The Administrative Secretaries, as per order, were asked to monitor functioning of their offices both in Jammu and Srinagar as well, sources said.
They said the presence of Administrative Secretaries in Jammu region will ensure the direct access of people to the concerned authorities at the helm of affairs besides improving the work culture in Jammu Secretariat which at present seems lacking on various fronts due to continuos presence of Administrative Secretaries at Srinagar.
Sources said the issue has also generated a lot of resentment among general masses of Jammu region who feel totally cheated. “Our files concerning various works are pending in Civil Secretariat, Jammu and we have approached many times to the concerned offices in Jammu but every time we were told that concerned Administrative Secretary is in Srinagar and the file has to be seen by him”, said Anil Kumar a socio political activist from Dansal area of Jammu.
He said people were told that Administrative Secretaries will function 15 days of a month at Jammu Secretariat and for rest 15 days at summer Secretariat at Srinagar but this order has remained confined to files only. This way people of this region feel cheated as neither they are able to visit Summer Secretariat , Srinagar in view of COVID nor the officers attend the Secretariat offices in Jammu to clear files and look into the grievances of the people of this region, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
