The Department of Agriculture in the Kashmir valley is facing difficulties as around half of the total drivers rarely take the chance to attend their duties. Most of the times, they remain indulged in private jobs.
According to the sources, around half of the total 70 drivers have either their own shops or drive vehicles in the private capacity. This absence of half of the driving force has resulted in extra burden on the remaining drivers as they have to work day and night to cover their part of the job too. Sources said that officers including the Director too is aware of this problem but hasn’t done anything to prevent it.
Sources said that even those drivers who hardly do their duties and attend only a couple of times in a month get monthly salaries. These drivers have so much influence in the office that any action against them is never taken even though they continuously violate the rules.
Sources told Early Times that there are clear rules that a government employee cannot do any other job in any other department or in a private capacity or run his or her own business. Still, many drivers are driving private vehicles like Auto-Rickshaws or carrying out their own business while having a shop in different areas, completely defying the rules.
Sources also alleged that those drivers who are not doing their duties have been a part of the department from long ago and are posted in various districts of the Kashmir valley. They said while these drivers remain absent from their duties then their portion of the work is carried out by the drivers who were appointed not long back by Services Selection Board (SSB).
Sources said that the recently appointed drivers by SSB are highly qualified unlike, those appointed in the past. Recent appointments carry out all the work even though their salary is lesser than the older ones. Sources also said that when these drivers requested for allowing to have holidays according to the rules but their constant pleas were consistently declined.
