ULB gives additional charge of North Kashmir local body to South Kashmir officer & vice-versa
Malik Jehangir
SRINAGAR: The additional charge syndrome continues to afflict the government departments in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) department is no exception in this regard. Officers continue to be given additional charge thus compromising the work culture in the department.
In case of ULB department some of the orders issued with regards to given additional charge are absurd since officers working in North Kashmir have been given additional charge of local bodies located in South Kashmir and vice-versa. The orders seem to have been issued without the application of mind with the functioning getting badly hit.
“In view of retirement or superannuation of I/C Executive Officers of Municipal Council Pulwama and Municipal Committee Tral, the following temporary arrangement of assignments of additional charge of the post is made for smooth running of the Municipal Council/Committee till a permanent arrangement is made by the administrative department,” reads the order number DULB/Estt/4251/254 of 2022 dated 05-05-2022.
The order further reads, “The Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Wattergam shall hold the charge of post of Executive Officer, Municipal Council Pulwama in addition to his own duties. The Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Pampore shall hold the charge of post of Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Tral in addition to his own duties.”
It would be in place to mention here that while Municipal Committee Wattergam is located in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Municipal Council Pulwama falls in South Kashmir. One fails to understand that how can the officer posted at Pulwama do justice with the working of the local body of Wattergam.
Under order number DULB/Estt/83 of 2022 dated 04-04-2022, Naveed Ajaz Khan, Executive Officer MC Ganderbal was given the additional charge of Municipal Committee Tangmarg/Gulmarg while as Mushtaq Ahmad Wani, In-charge Executive Officer MC Chadoora was given the additional charge of Municipal Committee Frisal.
While MC Ganderbal falls in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, Municipal Committee Tangmarg/Gulmarg is located in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. At the same time MC Chadoora falls in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district while as Municipal Committee Frisal is located in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
According to the same order, Mohammad Irfan Wani, Executive Officer MC Devsar has been given additional charge of Municipal Committee Yaripora, Abdul Mateen Baba, In-charge Executive Officer, MC Pattan has been given additional charge of Municipal Committee, Kunzar, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, In-charge Executive Officer MC Dooru-Verinag has been given additional charge of Municipal Committee, Awantipora and Farooq Ahmad Ganie, In-charge Executive Officer MC Qazigund has been given the additional charge of Municipal Committee Kokernag.