CM directives on transfers, attachments of teachers being violated with impunity: Harsh

 STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Alleging wholesale transfers of teaching staff by the Education Department in violation of the transfer policy, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Education Minister, has sought the indulgence of the Chief Minister in view of large scale resentment brewing amongst the teaching community against such whimsical transfers. He pointed out that the Education Department had issued a transfer policy last year prescribing the schedule for transfers in summer and winter zones, minimum and maximum period of stay in one particular institution, norms for transfers in zone-III areas, criteria for husband wife employees’ postings and norms for posting of those at the verge of retirement.
Accusing the government of blatant circumvention of the approved transfer policy, Singh said that the transfers continued to be made on whims and fancies besides other extraneous considerations in the said department.Reminding the Chief Minister of her directions to Education Department appearing in the media on 24th April as well for strict adherence to transfer norms, cancellation of all attachments and modifications in the department, Singh apprised her and about the flagrant violation of her orders.
He said that rather than rescinding the attachments and modification orders as directed by the CM, the Education Department officers indulged in large scale modifications, transfers and attachments during the last few days providing the most glaring example of insubordination, indiscipline and lack of respect for norms. Furnishing to the media a list of 14 modifications of Masters issued by DSEJ on 28th April in one zone alone, Singh said that this was only a tip of the ice-berg with hundreds of such orders having been issued in defiance of CM’s orders.
He said it was scandalous that wholesale orders of transfers, attachments, modifications besides violation of approved schedules of summer and winter zones were effected under bureaucratic and political pressure besides other considerations even after the prohibitory orders of the CM thus exhibiting the chaotic state of affairs in the department. He further apprised the Chief Minister about the selective transfers of the siblings and other relations of opposition leaders in violation of transfer policy for their victimisation and as a measure of political vendetta thus defying the empty slogans of good governance. Singh further pointed out the despicable disregard of the transfer policy with regard to the stay of teachers at one place as envisaged under the said policy.
He said that in reply to an RTI filed by him, the Education Department has provided a list of not hundreds but thousands of teachers whose stay at their present places was more than five years.
He further said that reply indicated hundreds of teachers having a stay of more than ten years at present places of postings which had obviously been managed by them by dubious means.
He said that RTI replies had further revealed the embezzlements of SSA and RMSA funds in various districts particularly Udhampur with no action having been initiated against the offenders due to official patronage adding that the delinquents in several cases had admitted to irregularities having been committed by them but were being allowed immunity in view of the unholy nexus between the members of the enquiry committees and the offenders. Urging upon the Education Minister to take due cognizance of the acts of misfeasance and malfeasance being committed in the department, Singh advised him to go the whole hag against the unscrupulous officers and offenders.
He further called for the release of salary of ReTs pending for the last 4-5 months forcing them to starvation.