CHANDIGARH: In another faceoff between the politicians and bureaucrats in
Punjab, technical education minister Charanjit Singh
Channi has requested the chief minister to transfer Chamkaur Sahib sub-divisional magistrate (
SDM) Ruhee Dugg alleging her irresponsible behaviour with the public.
In a letter addressed to Captain
Amarinder Singh, Channi has said that the woman IAS officer does not take calls and that he had been receiving complaints from the public that their problems were not being properly addressed by her.
Channi has also alleged that even in case of an emergency it was difficult to find the SDM in her office. However, a senior bureaucrat told TOI that the CM had seen Channi's letter last week and no further order was issued.
After the
Congress took over the reins in Punjab nine months back, a number of cases of the strained relationship between the politicians and bureaucrats have come out in the open.
Earlier in August, Baghapurana MLA
Darshan Singh Brar of the Congress had moved a breach of privilege complaint to the state assembly speaker against Moga deputy commissioner Dilraj Singh for allegedly humiliating him publicly. Hearing the complaint, Punjab assembly privilege committee headed by
Dera Baba Nanak Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa had summoned the DC.
Brar had complained that despite having taken prior appointment from the Moga deputy commissioner to meet him on August 21, he not only kept him waiting outside his room but later insulted him in front of people accompanying him inside his room.
Also, it is in public domain that at least three IAS officers had earlier shown their reluctance to continue their services in the local bodies department under cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Additional chief secretary Satish Chandra, special secretaries
Ajoy Sharma and K K Yadav had refused to toe Sidhu's line.
Technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi
