Unlawful service extension suspected
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 13 2022:
A strong suspicion has been raised about extension of service periods of some engineering officers of Public Works Department (PWD) unlawfully.
Notably, the age of superannuation for engineering officers of PWD is 60 .
The suspicion of extension of service period of a few engineering officers of PWD even after completion of the age of superannuation came to the fore after one Sagolsem Premchandra filed an application under the RTI Act.
Through the RTI application, Sagolsem Premchandra of Hayel Awang Leikai, Imphal West asked the PWD Public Information Officer (PIO) if there was any case of extension of service period of PWD engineering officers.
The RTI applicant also sought a copy of the rule book under which service period was extended as well as justifications for the same, if there was any such case.
The applicant further demanded a list of the officers whose service periods have been extended and re-engaged, if there was any.
Premchandra also asked if there are rules and policies of the State Government which permit extension of service period and whether the same rules and policies are applicable to all officers.
He went on to ask if there was any case of failure of a bridge construction project after the bridge constructed under the supervision of an engineering officer on extended service collapsed before the construction work was completed.
He demanded details of the project, if there was any such case.
He further asked if there was any order for re-engagement of retired engineers or extension of service period during the last three years.
The RTI application also asked if there were cases of acceptance of tender and delegation of power regarding payment of liabilities to contractors/suppliers during the last three years.
It asked if there was any ban on extension of service periods of State Government employees and re-engagement of retired Government employees.