The Indian Express: Chandigarh: Wednesday, 31 August 2022.
Many officials of Chandigarh Administration have been holding the same post for decades, some for as long as 26 years, information under the Right to Information Act has revealed.
An application under the RTI Act was filed by Chandigarh resident R K Garg, seeking a list of employees of various departments of UT Secretariat who have been working in one department, irrespective of the designation, for more than three years, with date of posting/transfer in their present posting.
This is contrary to the Central Vigilance Commission directives which clearly state that “such overstay and continuous postings afford scope for indulging in corrupt activites, developing vested interests etc which may not be in the interest of the organisation”.
“The Commission would emphasise that periodical rotation of officials holding senstive posts/jobs need to be ensured. As such officials should not be retained in the same place/position for long by the ministries/departments/organisations,” it was said.
In the office of Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner itself, the information revealed how staff has been sitting at one post since 1991 or 1994.
Out of a list of 25 employees working for more than three years on the same post, Kuldip Raj has been posted since 1998 in the office as senior assistant, Rajesh Kumar has been working as senior assistant and posted there since 2001, another senior assistant, Ravinder Kumar, has been posted there since 2004. According to the data, two junior assistants Jose George and Kapoor Singh, who were posted in 1994, continue to hold the charge even now. Two patwaris Harjit Singh and Satyavir Singh have been posted since 1995 while a sewadar has been posted there since 1991. Many others have been holding their posts for over 10 years.
Apart from these 25 officials, there are three others, including a naib tehsildar and a patwari, who have been working even after attaining the age of retirement.
PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION OF CIVIC BODY
The same is the case with the public health division 2 of the civic body. According to the information supplied, there are officials who have been working here for as long as 26 years.
Two junior engineers in the department who are on a contractual basis were posted 15 years and 14 years ago in 2007 and 2008 respectively and continue their work in the same department the ministerial staff.
In the water wing staff too, six junior assistants were posted there 14 years ago and continue to work in the same place while one senior assistant has been there for 11 years.
Few beldars joined the division in 1996 and have been working here for the last 26 years while some have been here for the last 17 and 15 years too.
Similarly, the document shows how clerks and junior assistants of the public health division one of the civic body have been sitting in the same place for as long as 14 years.
OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER, UT SECRETARIAT
Similarly, in the office of Chief Engineer, UT Secretariat, the department just gave a list of 62 officials working at the same place of posting for over three years but did not mention the year of posting. This included senior assistants, junior assistants and other official staff.
MODEL JAIL
Details obtained from the model jail, department of prisons revealed that there are 81 officials posted at the same place for more than three years while there are 86 of them who have been working even after retirement there. This included not just pharmacist and warders but TGT teachers, assistant superintendents jail, psychologist and law officers. However, the department did not specify the year of posting of all the employees.
ELECTRICAL DIVISION, UT CHANDIGARH
Details under the RTI revealed that even in the electrical division, there are employees sitting for even 19 years. One assistant engineer has been posted since July 2004 and has been there since then and another assistant engineer has been posted there in June 2010.
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES
As per the data obtained through the RTI, information revealed that three out of four inspectors in the food and supplies department have been posted on deputation for the last 10 years here in the same department and one has been there for five years. While three of them joined in 2013 on deputation, one has been on deputation since 2017.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
According to the details provided by department of animal husbandry, there are employees who have been working at the same branch for the last several years. Veterinary doctors have been there for as long as 11 to 17 years.
Estate office evades information
In response to the RTI application, the estate office just gave a list of 170 officials working in the department with their names and designations but did not give their date of joining and since when these officials have been holding the particular post.
“It is informed that under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, only such information as available and existing and held by public authority can be provided. It is also informed that CPIO is not supposed to create information that is not a part of the record,” the reply said.
CITCO
In the department of CITCO, 54 officials in the clerical staff and seven senior officials, including executive engineer, have been on the same post, some for as long as 2005. One executive engineer in the CITCO has been there for the last nine years while other two sub-divisional engineers, civil and public health, have been there since 2002 and 2014. So much so, additional charge has also been given to them along with their present duties.
CVC GUIDELINES
In 2018, the vigilance department of Chandigarh Administration had sought compliance with the Commission’s guidelines and “a quarterly action taken report on the officials rotated/transferred in the respective organisations”.
The guidelines by CVC had clearly stated periodical rotation of employees and staff sitting in these sensitive offices be rotated every two to three years to avoid developing vested interests.
“When even the CVC guidelines suggest rotation of employees, how come a large number of C, D and other group employees, including senior ones, have been sitting rather clinging to one post for years, some even for 25 and 30 years. Since they have been sitting for years, that is why their body language also reflects that they don’t care at all even if work is not done,” RTI activist Garg told The Indian Express.
He added, “Also, this way our system would be completely rotten as officers never visit the junior offices where works are done at the ground level. There is a need for a total overhaul of the system and compulsory transfer of all employees at all levels every year and all cadres. Corruption can only be contained after the employee is transferred as per rules. Zero tolerance and total transparency would be a distant dream if we don’t check the basics.”
WHAT DOES UT ADVISER SAY
UT Adviser Dharam Pal told The Indian Express, “Yes we have got to know that staff in various departments has been working on one post for a long time. We are working to move them.”
Many officials of Chandigarh Administration have been holding the same post for decades, some for as long as 26 years, information under the Right to Information Act has revealed.
An application under the RTI Act was filed by Chandigarh resident R K Garg, seeking a list of employees of various departments of UT Secretariat who have been working in one department, irrespective of the designation, for more than three years, with date of posting/transfer in their present posting.
This is contrary to the Central Vigilance Commission directives which clearly state that “such overstay and continuous postings afford scope for indulging in corrupt activites, developing vested interests etc which may not be in the interest of the organisation”.
“The Commission would emphasise that periodical rotation of officials holding senstive posts/jobs need to be ensured. As such officials should not be retained in the same place/position for long by the ministries/departments/organisations,” it was said.
In the office of Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner itself, the information revealed how staff has been sitting at one post since 1991 or 1994.
Out of a list of 25 employees working for more than three years on the same post, Kuldip Raj has been posted since 1998 in the office as senior assistant, Rajesh Kumar has been working as senior assistant and posted there since 2001, another senior assistant, Ravinder Kumar, has been posted there since 2004. According to the data, two junior assistants Jose George and Kapoor Singh, who were posted in 1994, continue to hold the charge even now. Two patwaris Harjit Singh and Satyavir Singh have been posted since 1995 while a sewadar has been posted there since 1991. Many others have been holding their posts for over 10 years.
Apart from these 25 officials, there are three others, including a naib tehsildar and a patwari, who have been working even after attaining the age of retirement.
PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION OF CIVIC BODY
The same is the case with the public health division 2 of the civic body. According to the information supplied, there are officials who have been working here for as long as 26 years.
Two junior engineers in the department who are on a contractual basis were posted 15 years and 14 years ago in 2007 and 2008 respectively and continue their work in the same department the ministerial staff.
In the water wing staff too, six junior assistants were posted there 14 years ago and continue to work in the same place while one senior assistant has been there for 11 years.
Few beldars joined the division in 1996 and have been working here for the last 26 years while some have been here for the last 17 and 15 years too.
Similarly, the document shows how clerks and junior assistants of the public health division one of the civic body have been sitting in the same place for as long as 14 years.
OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER, UT SECRETARIAT
Similarly, in the office of Chief Engineer, UT Secretariat, the department just gave a list of 62 officials working at the same place of posting for over three years but did not mention the year of posting. This included senior assistants, junior assistants and other official staff.
MODEL JAIL
Details obtained from the model jail, department of prisons revealed that there are 81 officials posted at the same place for more than three years while there are 86 of them who have been working even after retirement there. This included not just pharmacist and warders but TGT teachers, assistant superintendents jail, psychologist and law officers. However, the department did not specify the year of posting of all the employees.
ELECTRICAL DIVISION, UT CHANDIGARH
Details under the RTI revealed that even in the electrical division, there are employees sitting for even 19 years. One assistant engineer has been posted since July 2004 and has been there since then and another assistant engineer has been posted there in June 2010.
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES
As per the data obtained through the RTI, information revealed that three out of four inspectors in the food and supplies department have been posted on deputation for the last 10 years here in the same department and one has been there for five years. While three of them joined in 2013 on deputation, one has been on deputation since 2017.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
According to the details provided by department of animal husbandry, there are employees who have been working at the same branch for the last several years. Veterinary doctors have been there for as long as 11 to 17 years.
Estate office evades information
In response to the RTI application, the estate office just gave a list of 170 officials working in the department with their names and designations but did not give their date of joining and since when these officials have been holding the particular post.
“It is informed that under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, only such information as available and existing and held by public authority can be provided. It is also informed that CPIO is not supposed to create information that is not a part of the record,” the reply said.
CITCO
In the department of CITCO, 54 officials in the clerical staff and seven senior officials, including executive engineer, have been on the same post, some for as long as 2005. One executive engineer in the CITCO has been there for the last nine years while other two sub-divisional engineers, civil and public health, have been there since 2002 and 2014. So much so, additional charge has also been given to them along with their present duties.
CVC GUIDELINES
In 2018, the vigilance department of Chandigarh Administration had sought compliance with the Commission’s guidelines and “a quarterly action taken report on the officials rotated/transferred in the respective organisations”.
The guidelines by CVC had clearly stated periodical rotation of employees and staff sitting in these sensitive offices be rotated every two to three years to avoid developing vested interests.
“When even the CVC guidelines suggest rotation of employees, how come a large number of C, D and other group employees, including senior ones, have been sitting rather clinging to one post for years, some even for 25 and 30 years. Since they have been sitting for years, that is why their body language also reflects that they don’t care at all even if work is not done,” RTI activist Garg told The Indian Express.
He added, “Also, this way our system would be completely rotten as officers never visit the junior offices where works are done at the ground level. There is a need for a total overhaul of the system and compulsory transfer of all employees at all levels every year and all cadres. Corruption can only be contained after the employee is transferred as per rules. Zero tolerance and total transparency would be a distant dream if we don’t check the basics.”
WHAT DOES UT ADVISER SAY
UT Adviser Dharam Pal told The Indian Express, “Yes we have got to know that staff in various departments has been working on one post for a long time. We are working to move them.”
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