Seven chief engineers have no postings in PWD

But are drawing salary of Rs 75,000 per month

The chief engineers - Jagannath Reddy Patil, C V Patil, Mahesh Hiremath, R P Kulkarni, Ganesh, B Y Jumnal and Jayachandra are not attending office because the government has not given them postings. While Jagannath Reddy Patil is without a posting from last one-and-half years, others are awaiting postings from last six months.

Though they are not working, they are getting salary of Rs 75,000 a month.  None of the chief engineers are facing any charges. For no reason they have been shown postings, sources in the PWD told Deccan Herald.

Vacant posts

It is not that there are no vacant posts to accommodate them. Vacant posts include Chief engineer posts two each in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Command Area Development Authority, one each in Karnataka Housing Development Corporation, Bagalkot Development Authority and Infrastructure Project.

In addition, the additional secretary posts in the PWD is also reserved for chief engineer, and even this post is vacant.  As the crucial posts are vacant, in-charge officers are running the show.

They do not have authority to take major decisions.  Hence, there has been delay in implementation of various projects.

A meeting held on August 5 under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary S V Ranganath had decided to give postings to the chief engineers.  A proposal to this effect has been pending before the Chief Minister.

Notification

The department’s Principal Secretary V Umesh’s decision to keep an officer as in-charge  secretary of the department has irked many officers. A notification with regard to the policy decision was issued on August 20.

Secretary N Lakshmanrao Peshwe, taking exception to the notification, has written to the chief secretary that the Principal Secretary has no authority to do so. Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms K R Srinivas, when contacted, said the process to fill up on the vacant posts has begun.