Avinash Azad
The Administrative Department of PW (R&B) recently recalled 37 Junior Engineers from RDD Jammu and sent new 35, but surprisingly only 30 JEs have reported in the directorate of Rural Development Jammu, and their further transfer orders likely to be issued today.
It is pertinent to mention here that since the creation of new administrative units in J&K by Omar Abdullah led, NC-Congress government in erstwhile, state, the Rural Development Department (RDD) has been facing acute dearth of technical staff, there are around 148 Blocks of ten district of Jammu division and all are understaffed, but today, 30 out of 35 Junior Engineers (JEs), who were placed at the disposal of Directorate of Rural Development Jammu by the, Administrative Department of Public Works (R&B), on 30 April 2023, will get their new posting orders.
According sources, the PW (R&B) department vide order number 178-PW(R&B) 2023, dated 30/04/2023 recalled 37 JEs from Rural Development department and sent 35 new JEs at the disposal of Director RRD Jammu. “Out of 35, only 30 JEs joined here, we conveyed it to the administrative department five JEs serial number 8 Joginder Lal, 92 Abhimanyu Gupta, 99 Ashish Kumar, 103 Ganesh Dutta and 104 Narinder Singh have not reported yet”, sources in RDD told The Hidden News, whishing not to be named.
“There are only 89 JEs against sanctioned 350 posts in Jammu division, Technical Assistants (TAs) and handful number JEs are manning Rural Engineering Wing, in some districts, single JE or TA has additional charge of two-three blocks”, the sources added.
“The directorate RDD, a day before the, PW(R&B), department recalled 37 JEs, had reshuffled 64 JEs vide order number 155 DRD of 2023, dated 29/04/2023”, but already facing huge dearth of technical staff, the REW wing in Jammu division come to standstill.
Meanwhile, some JEs reshuffled by the directorate alleged that the transfer order 155 DRD of 2023, dated 29/04/2023 smells a rat, as three JE posted in Rajouri remained untouched. “You can see nepotism in this order, as Mohd Ashram JE posted in Rajouri Block was not touched, while Basharat Hussain shifted from Khawas block to Darhal Block and Ajaj Ali Shah, posted in Planger block got additional charge of Thanamandi Block”, said they an annoyed, who was shifted outside the district, but next day he was recalled by the PW(R&B) Department, sent at disposal of Chief Engineer, PW(R&B) Jammu.
However, it is not the first instance when the JEs have refused to comply with transfer order issued by the administrative department, this practice has deep roots in the past. Will the PW(R&B) Department, act against the erring JEs or their transfer orders would be modified?
Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, PW(R&B) Department did not answer the phone calls for his comment, if we receive any response from the authorities over non-joining of five JEs in RDD Jammu, same would be updated.
