Indian Express: Khandelwal relieved as DC; Vajralingam replaces Kang

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Khandelwal relieved as DC; Vajralingam replaces Kang

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

CHANDIGARH, July 17: In a sudden development, UT Deputy Commissioner K.K. Khandelwal was today relieved with immediate effect, and the charge handed over to Municipal Corporation assistant commissioner R.K. Rao.

In another related development, G. Vajralingam joined as the new Finance Secretary, replacing N.S. Kang, who has since been repatriated to his parent state of Punjab. Vajralingam, a 1986-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, would serve the Chandigarh Administration for two years. Though no reason has been cited for the abrupt end of Khandelwal's tenure, which was to otherwise expire in October, officials say the term ended due to "technical reasons" since the new Finance Secretary is junior to him.

Incidentally, the Finance Secretary is also the administrative secretary of the Estate Office, where the DC functions as the Estate Officer. All appeals of the Estate Officer's orders in quasi-judicial matters are also put up before the Finance Secretary, in his capacity as chief administrator.

The outgoing Finance Secretary, N.S. Kang, a Punjab-cadre IAS officer of the 1993 batch, had himself sought his repatriation to his parent state, after serving on deputation for about two years. His term was to end in September.

Khandelwal, a Haryana-cadre IAS officer of the 1985 batch, introduced a number of measures during his tenure, including the upgradation of cinema halls, computerisation of the Estate Office, introduction of Sahayata project, same-day registration of motor vehicles and issuing of learner's licence, relaxations in building byelaws and ST reduction, besides introduction of effective communication measures.

Meanwhile, the three UT-cadre IAS officers of the 1994 batch working in the Union territory, Amar Nath and the IAS couple of Rinku Dhugga and Sanjeev Khirwar, have also been relieved with immediate effect.

While Amar Nath was till now the SDM (South) and Registering and Licencing Auhtority, Dhugga was the Chief Executive Officer of Chandigarh Housing Board and Khirwar functioned as SDM (East). The Administration has also given the charges held by them to others.

While SDM (Central) Parminder Singh Gill will also look after the work of SDM (East), SDM (South), BDPO and Joint Electoral Officer, S.K. Sharma, assistant estate officer, will look after the work of Land Acquisition Officer, while M.L. Sharma, CGM CITCO, will also look after the work of secretary, Chandigarh Housing Board.

Amarpal Singh, secretary of the Municipal Corporation, will look after the work of Licens-ing and Registering Authority, in addition to his present duties.

While these are the first batch of transfers in the Union Territory, a number of other changes in the Chandigarh bureaucracy are in the offing.

Net Express

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