Already overstaying in Chandigarh, Assistant Estate Officer (AEO) Punjab Civil Service (PCS) Harjeet Sandhu’s stint in Chandigarh may now see another extension. Sandhu came on deputation for one year initially in 2018, and may be looking at another term for the fifth year in a row.
Sources said that the Chandigarh Administration has written to the Punjab government, again, seeking Sandhu’s extension in Chandigarh.
Sandhu, who has handled departments like the State Transport Authority (STA), and was given the charge of SDM Central, is currently handling the charge of UT Estate Office. He was given this charge in August 2021.
UT Adviser Dharam Pal, while speaking to The Indian Express, confirmed that the Chandigarh Administration had written to the Punjab government for Sandhu’s extension. When asked about the reason for this, the Adviser said, “Nothing as such”.
When contacted, Sandhu said that “he was not aware of the fact that UT had written for his extension to the Punjab government.”
While Sandhu is looking at another term extension, his fellow officer from Punjab, PCS Tejdeep Saini was relieved and repatriated to his parent cadre two days ago. Saini was handling the charge of Director Sports, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation earlier and SDM Central.
Officers on deputation to Chandigarh always look for extensions as the UT remains a lucrative posting for all.
Many Punjab officers on deputation take years to move out
Many officers on deputation from Punjab, who had been overstaying for years in Chandigarh, were recently moved, after the new UT Administrator Banwari Lal Purohit joined.
PCS officers Rubinderjit Singh Brar and Navjot Kaur who had been in Chandigarh for over seven years, Rakesh Popli and KPS Mahi for over six years were moved out in March this year. While Popli was moved out by end of July.
Some officers have been on deputation for decades
It has been around 20 years since NP Sharma, an engineer from Punjab, has been on deputation in Chandigarh.
Almost 20 years ago, Sharma came on deputation as Sub Divisional Engineer and today he is the Chief Engineer of the Municipal Corporation.
The designations from sub-divisional engineer onward include executive engineer, superintending engineer, chief general manager and chief engineer.
Sharma came on deputation to Chandigarh in 2003 from Punjab’s PWD department. During his stay here, he was also promoted regularly and was retained on a deputation basis with the Chandigarh Administration till October 2010.
After about seven years’ service as SDE and executive engineer, he was repatriated on October 20, 2010, to his parent department in Punjab, PWD B and R branch in Patiala.
However, he did not go and joined as the superintending engineer on deputation with Punjab Small Scale Industries Corporation Limited in Chandigarh and remained here from October 20, 2010 to October 17, 2012.
Sharma was appointed as the executive engineer civil on deputation on November 16, 2013. Before this, he was also given the additional charge of superintending engineer, construction circle-I, on October 10, 2013, Chandigarh Administration.
He continued here till September 2, 2014, and after a few days, went to another department in Chandigarh.
Sharma was then appointed against the post of SE (B and R) on deputation with the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on August 27, 2014. He was also given the additional charge of superintending engineer public health by the civic body, against a vacant post on January 8, 2015.
Sharma was also given the charge of chief engineer MC in between, when Mukesh Anand moved to the UT Administration. Sharma was also appointed as chief general manager of the Chandigarh Smart City Limited in December 2017.
He was then, in 2021, appointed as Chief Engineer Municipal Corporation and he continues there.
Meanwhile, UT’s officer Sanjay Arora who was also in the race, was not considered. Arora then went on deputation to the Delhi Municipal Council as Chief Engineer.
Similarly, Inderjeet Gulati joined as executive engineer from Punjab and has stayed here for almost ten years now.
Gulati joined Chandigarh in 2012 after coming on deputation from Punjab. He was posted in the engineering wings of Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation.
In January 2021, he went back to Punjab. After four months, there were orders that he has been posted as SE (B and R), Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. Gulati continues to hold that post till now.
Haryana called back its officers
Recently, three HCS officers Radhika Singh, Ruchi Bedi and Virat, were immediately called back by Haryana after the completion of their terms in Chandigarh.
Haryana had rejected any further stint in Chandigarh and it called back its officers immediately.
