Uprighht Survey officials find the going tough

Despite attempts to bring in transparency in the survey department, many of the senior officials, including additional director who is second in command and who had taken severe steps against corrupt officials is being made a scapegoat under political pressure.

With pressure mounting from the various unions against some of the officials, especially additional director E R Sobhana, the revenue department is known to have decided to give the charge of the additional director to a joint director. It is alleged that the decision has been taken without looking into the complaints that have been raised against the additional director but only on certain political pressure. Apart from this, the sources said that the move was also alleged to scuttle the survey inspection of Karuna estate. Sobhana has been given the charge of the survey of the estate after the government constituted a team to trace the excess and illegally possessed land with the Karuna Estate at Nelliyampathy.

Moreover, sources said that the official who is now being given the charge had been involved in many controversies. The survey vigilance unit had earlier recommended for suspending and even demoting this official who is now being handed over the charge. As many as five cases are also pending with the survey vigilance unit against the official, highly placed sources said.

It is known that the Chief Minister had written in a file that was forwarded to the revenue department for taking necessary action on the complaint. This was also confirmed by Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash, who earlier said that the CM had asked to take necessary decision on the complaint that has been raised against the additional director. However, he did not divulge more on the issue.

As part of streamlining the survey department, the additional director had transferred certain people who were siting idle for years at the directorate to other offices, which is alleged to have led certain union leaders to come forward against the additional director.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/459838/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-03-2015#page/5/1

Govt overlooking merit in appointments to DME

In the wake of the increasing number of Medical Colleges in the state, the appointment to the post of Director of Medical Education (DME) has raised serious concern with allegations that people without necessary qualifications are being tipped for the post.

Despite people having more experience in teaching and clinical care, administrative experience, management qualification and research papers, it is alleged that the government is considering those who have no such experience, which is alleged to be out of political and other pressures.

Stating that merit was never considered for appointments, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) secretary Dr C P Vijayan stressed that qualified academicians should only be made DMEs as they can only only bring in novel ideas for developing the medical education sector, which is already said to be deteriorating in the state.

It is reliably known that Kottayam Principal Dr A Remla Beevi and Cochin Medical College Principal Dr Praveen Lal have been considered for the post by the Departmental Promotion committee. It is learned that the government is considering Dr Beevi to the post as the other one is about to retire in a few months.

Generally seniority of principals are taken when making appointments for the post. Even if this criteria is considered, the sources said that there are several others who are more senior than the two who are now being considered. It is also alleged that Kottayam Principal does not have published papers and also falls short of the required 10 years of teaching experience. According to the Medical Council of India norms, ten years of teaching experience and ten published papers are needed for becoming principal or to get appointed to key posts, which are violated here.

Source: The newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/459104/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/16-03-2015#page/5/1

Appointment to Sate officers in Natinal health Mission flouting norms

All is not well with the National Health Mission (NHM) with apprehensions raised over the move to extend the service of the State Programme Manager SPM (Homeo), who is alleged to have been last year appointed out of the way.

Though hardly 2 months to complete the present term, it is learned that hectic pressure is on the government for giving him one more year. The files have been moved for extending the service of the present SPM (Homeo), whose appointment last year itself is alleged to be against all procedures and norms, according to highly placed sources.

Generally a deputation post, the SPM (Homeo) was last year appointed on contractual basis without following any procedures. For appointments to any post, a notification has to be issued and the vacancy is filled from a pool of candidates. In case of deputation, there is no need for any notification. In the case of the present SPM (Homeo), he was was appointed as SPM (Homeo) on deputation basis in 2012-13 period. But after his retirement from service on May 31, 2014, his period was extended for another year on contractual basis. The strangest thing is that he was appointed SPM the very next day (June 1, 2014) of his retirement, without even one day break of service, which is clear violation of all norms.

The State Programme officers in the NHM are all deputation posts, which was only altered last year with the appointment of SPM (Homeo). When contacted Director of Homeopathy Dr K Jamuna, she said that normally the SPMs are appointed on deputation basis. And if a person is appointed on deputation basis in the NHM, there is a chance for another official to get in his post, she added.

Though there is a move to appoint the SPM on a contractual basis, it is said that the government had not yet issued any notification that the post would be on contract basis. And if it is placed on contract, the sources said that a proper procedure has to be followed, which was not followed in the appointment of SPM (Homeo) last year and the same being pursued this year.

Sopurce: 

The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/455016/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/10-03-2015#page/6/1

Mookunnimala: criminal proceedings likely in illegal mining

In the wake of illegal quarry activities continuing in  Mookunnimala even after a ban was imposed by the district administration, various departments have filed reports against the ongoing quarry activities in the hill. It is likely that criminal proceedings will be initiated

against quarry owners in the hill.

The officials of the Vigilance, Mining and Geology Department and Pallichal Village who visited Mookunnimala on Monday prepared a mahazar and report with regard to the ongoing illegal mining activities.

Though the Vigilance team led by Circle Inspector A Rabiyath visited the hill for resuming the Total Station Survey (TSS) that it began last month for assessing the actual quantum of loss incurred due to illegal quarrying activities, they could not continue as all the quarries and crusher units were functioning in the region.

Rabiyath will file a report along with the mahazars before the Superintendent regarding the present situation and the difficulties that they faced in conducting the TSS.  Pallichal Village officer Sivakumar said that he would file a report to the Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar regarding the present situation. ''There are complaints that quarry activities were going in the night. Already a stop memo has been issued to some of the quarries,'' he said. Moreover, the officials of the District Mining and Geology department , Thiruvananthapuram district, said

that a similar report will be filed before the Director.      

Source: the New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/455016/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/10-03-2015#page/19/1