Bureaucracy bypassing TMA hierarchy

Published October 19, 2002

RAWALPINDI, Oct 18: The Rawalpindi Tehsil Administration (TMA) is in an imbroglio owing to frequent bypassing of the hierarchy and loosening of Tehsil Nazim’s grip on the bureaucracy, sources told Dawn on Friday.

Certain officials, they said, misguided the Tehsil Nazim in taking several decisions. Realizing his mistakes, the Nazim has annulled all administrative decisions taken during the past couple of months.

Quoting few examples, the sources said the chief officer headquarters got approval of Rs1 million from the Nazim for desilting of drains despite the fact that the TMA had its own arrangements for such works. The sub-divisional officer, it was learnt, had also opposed the case, but he was bypassed and the approval was obtained directly from the Nazim.

Similarly, the Tehsil officer (revenue) had got several people transferred to the anti-encroachment cell, being a lucrative position. All these people had to be transferred back as they had failed to deliver.

The Tehsil officer (infrastructure and services), the sources said, had committed mistakes in the technical sanctions and got them approved from the Nazim by misguiding him.

The buildings department officials, it was learnt, had got several violations of building plans exempted from the Nazim by keeping him in dark about the factual situation. This situation, the sources said, was because of the absence of building by-laws that had not been formulated since the TMA came into existence.

Similarly, an office superintendent got himself appointed as sub-divisional officer against the rules, the sources said.

After the revelation of such glaring mistakes, the nazim issued a directive, stating: “It has been observed that officers/staff of the TMA are getting orders issued directly from the undersigned (Nazim) in violation of the Local Government Ordinance 2001 and office orders regarding the official business.”

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