2 days ago
Haryana govt cracks whip: 80 irrigation officials in soup over quality of concrete used in projects
At least seven to eight SEs (superintending engineers) are also facing disciplinary action, besides two chief engineers. While the SEs will face action under Rule-8, a displeasure note will be served on the two chief engineers.
The list of accused officials and employees includes names of JEs (junior engineers), SDOs (sub-divisional officers), and XENs (executive engineers). These officials have been charge-sheeted under Rule-7 of Haryana Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 2016.
Gurugram: Haryana government Wednesday initiated action against 80 officials of the Irrigation & Water Resources Department (I&WRD) for alleged corruption and negligence pertaining to quality of hardened concrete used in various projects under the department's aegis.
The names of these officials, however, have not yet been made public.
This crackdown follows a detailed probe triggered by substandard construction samples that have caused significant financial losses to the state exchequer.
Documents accessed by The Print suggest that a high-level committee, constituted on 5 June under commissioner and secretary Mohammed Shayin, IAS, was tasked with framing draft charge sheets and displeasure notes against the officials in question.
The committee includes senior officers including Jaideep Rao (chief engineer, I&WRD), Rakesh Kumar (superintending engineer), Hanish Kumar (executive engineer), Ajeet Hooda (executive engineer), and Mandeep Sheokand (executive engineer). Directed by Rao, the panel identified officials ranging from JEs to chief engineers for penalties under Rule-7.
Rule-7 provides for imposing a major penalty against a government employee, like dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement after giving him or her a reasonable opportunity to defend their actions.
Rule-8, on the other hand, mandates minor penalties like censure, withholding a promotion or an increment after giving the employee a fair chance to defend themselves.
The investigation stemmed from quality control failure uncovered in tests conducted earlier this year, for which 48 concrete samples were collected from multiple irrigation projects. Of these, 18 failed to meet standards.
A follow-up letter dated 7 June from chief engineer Jaideep Rao addressed to SEs of the department's vigilance wing revealed that officials failed to analyse test results against specifications, leading to significant deviations and financial losses.
The SEs were directed to submit a comprehensive report within two days, with daily progress updates to be shared with the department's commissioner and secretary.
'Any laxity in compliance is viewed very seriously,' Rao's letter warned.
Confirming the action while speaking to ThePrint Wednesday, Haryana Irrigation Minister Shruti Choudhry termed it as part of the government's zero-tolerance policy on corruption.
She highlighted that vigilance raids, prompted by repeated complaints, exposed systemic lapses as projects neared completion. The samples that failed quality tests included hardened concrete samples and HDP (high-density polyethylene) pipes, she said.
Choudhry noted that substantial payments had already been made to contractors, and the government is exploring recovery options. 'The charge sheets, outlining specific allegations and evidence, will pave the way for legal proceedings, with guilty officials facing dismissal, salary cuts, or promotion bans, though they retain the right to defend themselves.'
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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