Babu penalised for one pending file

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

A government officer is expected to be a role model for his subordinates in discharging his official duties. However, Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department Rakesh Singh thinks differently.

As per the documents available with News Trail, Rakesh Singh wrote a letter to Department of Personnel Administrative Reforms Secretary P Hemalatha on April 4 recommending suspension of Elisha Andrews, working as a Deputy Secretary, Urban Development Department for not clearing pending files despite repeated reminders.

“The Deputy Secretary did not contest the allegations. I want you to order a departmental inquiry against Elisha Andrews. I want you to suspend him from service as there are chances of tampering of evidence or influencing witnesses,” the Additional Chief Secretary said in the letter.

However, as per the document available with the News Trail, 127 files were found pending with Rakesh Singh as on April 8 at 9.30 am. The document – E-office files pendency report – states that 127 files are pending with the Additional Chief Secretary. The files include 30 files for 0 to 3 days, five files for four to five days, 78 files for eight to 15 days, and 14 files for 15 days.

The other officer with maximum number of files pending is Deputy Secretary of Urban Development Department Sangappa. More than 100 files are pending with him while the document states that only one file is pending with Elisha Andrews. Surprisingly, the Additional Chief Secretary did not recommend any disciplinary action against those officers with whom many files are pending.

“If the pending of files is the reason for the suspension of Elisha Andrews, I also deserved to get suspended. I recommend severe punishment for government officials for not clearing files in time. You, as a journalist, can recommend the government to suspend me,’’ said Rakesh Singh.

However, social activists are up in arms against government officials not clearing files and also oppose Rakesh Singh for singling out a particular officer and not bothering about others who did not clear files on time.

“Around 50 per cent of IAS and KAS officers across the state are facing corruption charges or allegations. Many of the government officers, though their residences and offices are raided by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths, are promoted. I am of the opinion that the Additional Chief Secretary has made Elisha Andrews a scapegoat. I welcome Elisha Andrews suspension if there is any corruption charge or allegation,” said Sai Datta, a social activist.

Stating that most of the officials at Viskas Soudha and Vidhana Soudha deserve to be suspended, H.M. Venkatesh, a social activist from Judicial Layout, has opined that elected representatives have become a main hurdle for the government officials who want to clear the files on time. “I think the government officials, including Rakesh Singh, are waiting for the direction from elected representatives to clear the pending files,” said Venkatesh.