‘Transferred’ Faridabad MC Chief Engineer reappointed

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 28

The Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) has reappointed DR Bhaskar as Chief Engineer after about two and a half months of his transfer to Karnal. The post had remained vacant due to the controversy over his transfer in July this year and the Punjab and Haryana High Court staying it within 10 days.

The appointment order issued by the Municipal Commissioner dated October 26, 2018, says, “In view of the fact that no officer has been posted to the MCF as Chief Engineer, thereby disrupting the entire working of the engineering branch of the corporation, DR Bhaskar is hereby allowed to work as Chief Engineer (till orders to the contrary are issued by the government in view of the outcome of the court case or otherwise) to avoid contempt proceedings in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the undersigned. A copy has been forwarded to the Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Haryana”.

It states that “There are no specific orders from the government to allow Bhaskar to act as Chief Engineer, while on the other hand, Bhaskar (due to non-compliance of the restraint (stay) order of the High Court) has filed a contempt petition before the court, which is fixed for hearing on November 26, against the undersigned”.

It may be recalled that while the state government had transferred Bhaskar to Karnal on July 26, 2018, he got a stay order from the High Court on August 8 and did not join duty at Karnal. The authorities concerned had posted Raman Sharma, Superintending Engineer, MCF, as officiating Chief Engineer, before he was promoted officially as Chief Engineer and posted at the headquarters in Chandigarh in the third week of August.

“Though the fear of contempt of court has made the authorities reappoint Bhaskar, this tussle has adversely affected the routine functioning of the MCF for more than two months,” said an MCF official.