“Outside department” transfer in PHE violates service norms, ignites tension in employees

Srinagar, Mar 11 ( RNA) : Despite Government’s tall promises of bringing transparency in the system and streamlining the departments, there are still many officers who prefer to go by their own rules ,instead of the service rules and end up violating norms without actually fearing any backlash from the higher authorities. One such instance is the Jalshkati Department popularly known as PHE. The department authorities have been caught flouting the service rules with impunity by issuing transfer orders of an employee by it’s Chief Engineer to a different department. This has  brought the Clarks and the authorities  at logger heads.
The transfer of a Junior Assistant by Chief Engineer PHE   to Irrigation and Flood Control Department which is entirely a separate department with its own Chief Engineer ,has ignited tension among the employees of I&FC who are planning to protest against the violation of norms and the “scare of threat to their service progression" due to what appears to be an  "illegal transfer”. The employee’s fraternity of I&FC have alleged that a transfer of one Junior Assistant from PHE Sopore division to Hydraulic division Uri by the Chief Engineer PHE was not only a brazen violation of norms but also sort of encroachment in their department. They said, Chief Engineer of another department has no authority to send a man to I&FC without an administrative approval.
“Chief Engineer PHE, Kashmir, Jalshakti Department, Srinagar has transferred Junior Assistant (figuring at serial number 7) from Jalshakti Division Sopore to Hyd. Division Uri vide order No: 13/JSD/Estt of 2021 Dated 25-012021. This is a clear violation of service rules as both the departments are separate and independent of each other. This is sheer arrogance and an attempt to hide many scams in the Uri division which cannot be allowed at any cost.” Employees of I&FC department told RNA.
Meanwhile I&FC Clerical Staff Association has also raised a strong objection against the transfer and termed it “service violation”. The association through a memorandum on February 04, 2021, apprised the higher authorities about the violation consequences and simultaneously demanded the revocation of the said  transfer order before- what they said- emerges as conflicting issue.
“The administrative control and the sanctioned strength of ministerial staff of Hydraulic division Uri falls under the rolls of Chief Engineer I&FC Department Kashmir and it is not a provision to enroll any outside  staff  member from any other department and to draw the salary. The Federation made an appeal to the stakeholders to address the genuine issues by correcting the wrongs and cancel the outside cadre transfer of an employee from Jalshakti Department to Irrigation and Flood Control Department to let the employees calm and give them a peaceful environment to work.” Said one of the members of the association.
Meanwhile a senior officer in the Finance department in Civil Secretariat told RNA that the transfer appears to be illegal under financial code of conduct and cannot be justified at any cost.
“Look both the departments are independent of each other. They get separate budget, grants and salary etc. So, there is no question of one Chief Engineer transferring a staff member to other department without administrative approval. This is absolute violation of norms.” The officer told RNA.

But the Chief Engineer PHE seems to be looking other way around .“This is not a big issue. I can do it. I can even draw people from Forest department of my own.” CE PHE, Mr. Iftikhar Wani told RNA, adding that the division was short of staff which necessitated the transfer. When RNA asked him if his own department was self sufficient allowing him to relieve staff to other departments to meet out staff shortage, Mr. Wani evaded a direct reply and said, Executive Engineer of the division had made a request. The Chief Engineer was also not clear as wherefrom the salary of the said Junior Assistant should be drawn as he was not from the I&FC department which has a separate salary budget, “Executive Engineer will manage that.” he said. He however, later added that he will look into the issue.
The employees of I&FC meanwhile said that they were all concerned about the grave issue of what they called ‘cadre- encroachment’ and the violation of service norms. They have threatened to go on mass protest leave if the new type of injustice, ‘cadre- encroachment’ was not done away with immediately. RNA
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