‘Misuse’ of govt vehicles

Taxpayers’ money is “virtually going up in smoke” under the present regime.  Reason: it is not only the ministers and babus in the secretariat, but also technocrats, managers and others who are misusing government vehicles. Every day, one finds government vehicles dropping their “wives and children” to schools and offices in the city and picking them up, say those witness to the practice. The wives of top babus are dropped on The Ridge for playing tambola in the Gaiety Theatre or purchasing vegetables from sabzi mandis or visiting hospital to meet near and dear ones, they charge. There was a time during the Shanta Kumar regime, when even top babus dared not misuse vehicles. This practice has become so rampant these days that even top officials working in the regulatory bodies and corporations are also misusing the vehicles. Policemen on duty give them free hand even if these vehicles are parked on the restricted or sealed roads, they say, expressing their concern. Will the government wake up and stop the unhealthy practice? they wonder. 

Business interests over public interest

Kangra has always been politically significant owing to the fact that there are 15 MLAs from the district in the state Assembly. However, now there was political vacuum in the district. Main leaders from both the ruling as well as opposition parties are out of mainstream politics due to one reason or the other. Those remaining have their business interests in mind instead of the interests of the people. They desist from raising their voice on public issues fearing that their business interests would be hurt. In such a scenario people can be seen discussing who would be the next leader from Kangra on which they can rely on.

Favouritism first, merit later

Call it favouritism or obsession of  the Himachal Government, some blue-eyed officers always occupy key positions even though it disturbs the seniority and causes heartburn. Recently, a DIG rank officer, who was shifted, was not only brought back but also given charge of IG. The government is always supreme. Rules and merit come second and we are used to it, commented a retired police officer.

Disaster management eyewash

The disaster management appears to be confined to mere files as whenever an incident occurs, the lack of preparedness of the district administration comes to the fore. The over 7- hour closure of the Sadhupul- Chail road on Saturday following a landslide after heavy rain is the latest example. Locals pitched in with machinery to open the road to traffic. Little disaster management preparedness was visible in the first few hours. Surprisingly, just two days ago, a mega mock drill on relief and rescue was held in Solan which took stock of the preparedness during such incidents. One wondered whether it was a formality as sensitivity of officials was missing while dealing with such incidents in reality.