Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 20: In the much talked about case of illegal appointments, regularizations and promotions in several Municipalities of the Kashmir valley, the Government has given approval to serve charge sheet under the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Rules to the former Director, Local Bodies Kashmir, Farooq Renzu Shah, presently Vice-Chairman, Srinagar Development Authority (SDA).
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during Farooq Renzu Shah’s posting as Director, Local Bodies Kashmir from June 2010 to March 2011, numerous illegal appointments, regularizations and promotions were made in several Municipalities of the Kashmir valley, which come under the administrative control of the Urban Local Bodies Directorate.
“These illegalities were conducted by the officers of the Municipal Committees and Councils either on the directions or under the influence of the then Director Local Bodies”, sources said, adding “in several other illegal promotions, regularizations and appointments, the information was furnished to the Director by the officers of the Municipalities but he remained mute spectator for obvious reasons which establishes lack of supervision and control on his part besides dereliction of duty”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the issue of illegal appointments, regularizations and promotions in the Municipalities also figured in the Legislative Assembly during the Budget Session early this year. The main Opposition party—People’s Democratic Party (PDP) created furor in the House over such illegalities and even put the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, who is also holding the portfolio of Housing and Urban Development Department, in the dock for allowing the illegal regularizations and promotions to take place in the department under his control.
Even the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, also admitted illegal appointments and regularizations in the Municipalities on the floor of the House and mentioned that the report submitted to him by the Deputy Chief Minister has been forwarded to the General Administration Department for recommendations.
Thereafter, a three-member committee headed by then Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, who is presently Secretary, General Administration Department, was constituted to look into the illegalities and submit detailed report to the Government, sources said.
The report of the Enquiry Committee was examined in the General Administration Department and now it has been decided to proceed further in the case as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Rules, sources said, adding “a charge sheet has been approved and will be served to Farooq Ahmad Renzu Shah, who is presently Vice-Chairman of the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), within a day or two”.
“In the charge sheet specific illegalities have been pointed out by the GAD and the former Director Local Bodies has been directed to furnish reply to the charge sheet within the specified time-frame”, sources informed, adding “the next course of action would be decided following receipt of reply to the charge sheet”.
Responding to a question vis-à-vis involvement of other officers and officials in large scale illegalities, sources said, “other accused officials would also be single out and action taken as per the Civil Services Rules”.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal has begun the process of reviewing departmental inquiries on fast-track basis to speed up their completion and initiate suitable action on their findings. The exercise, according to the sources, comes in backdrop of the failure of several departments in acting promptly on the departmental inquiries against the accused officers.
The Chief Secretary has also passed instructions that before closing any inquiry, the concerned file should reach his office.
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