Forest guard-turned-PRO acts minister, distributes relief cheques; makes SDM follow ordersJammu Kashmir Govt goes missing!9/28/2014 11:46:32 PMHelplessness of Omar touches new heightsEarly Times ReportJAMMU, Sept 28: Virtually adding feather in the cap of already beleaguered Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress coalition government, Forest Guard-turned additional PRO of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand in wanton display of power and brute authority distributed relief cheques worth Rs. 20 lakh in Khour.Khour is assembly constituency of DeputyChief Minister Tara Chand. His additional PRO Kewal Krishan Sharma who has ostensibly made entire Education department subservient to his interests went several steps ahead and not only distributed relief cheques but also ensured that the same is given due publicity. He got photographs of the cheque distribution published as advertisement in the local dailies.Caring virtually damn about being penalised in a state where some of the strict and honest bureaucrats are manning all important decision making positions, Kewal Krishan misused his position as Additional PRO of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and is unlikely to be even touched. Sources said that even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah despite knowing everything about Kewal, has preferred not to even seek report about extraordinary powers being enjoyedby him.Official sources said that this wanton display of power by a matric pass forest guard is unheard off. They added that it is brute violation of service rules by a government employee whom the government has not only given security cover but is allowing him to keep entire Education department at ransom for the reasons best known to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand.The advertisement clearly mentions that Kewal distributed cheques worth Rs. 20 lakh in the presence of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Khour Rakesh Kumar Bhagat, who was inducted into KAS in the year 2013 and is essentially from Social Welfare Department. Bhagat danced to thetune of Kewal Krishan for the reasons bestknown to him but by doing so violated theservice conduct rules which bar him from turning a government function into privatepolitical affair.According to sources, Kewal has been enjoying unbridled powers with no checksand balances. They added that SDM Khour is likely to face the music but Kewalwould again remain untouched, thus giving a clear indication of government finding it hard to put curbs on lower rung employees who have overnight turned into bosses and are enjoying free and costly lunches at the cost of state exchequer.Kewal, according to sources has been enjoying unbridled powers since the last more than four years now. They added that it was Kewal Krishan Sharma on whose like and dislike, Directors of the School Education Department for Jammu region were changed more than 8 times. They further said that Kewal is the only influential PRO whose orders none dares to disobey in entire Jammu region. Sources said that Kewal Krishan Sharma drives a luxurious Duster vehicle and is now aspiring to contest elections from Akhnoor constituency.The poor SDM would face the music. They have no guts to take on Kewal Krishan Sharma. They know, any action against him would mean annoying DeputyChief Minister Tara Chand. So, SDM wouldbe sacrificed leaving the Forest Guard to keep misusing powers, said a senior officer of the state government. He added that an explanation has been sought from Divisional Commissioner Jammu Shantmanu about the function and involvement of SDM as well as the forest guard.Action would be taken but not against thePRO, added the official. He too expressedregret over government being unable to check the non-sense of this additional PRO since the last more than three years now. This shows that the writ of government is nowhere. Even the semblance of some government being in power is missing. You can see Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs helplessness that he is not even able to take action against fourth class employee, said an official seeking anonymity.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 00:20:44 +0000
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