Dist judge asks PWD not to transfer official

Nagpur: SB Savale, principal district and sessions judge, who retired recently, had asked state public works department (PWD) not to transfer a section engineer to Gadchiroli from Nagpur.
Taking cognisance of the judge’s letter, PWD allowed the engineer Rajendra Barai to retain charge of Nagpur. Sources in PWD said Barai does not go to Gadchiroli and mostly remains in Nagpur looking after his additional charge.
Barai, who was posted in sub-division No 3 of division No 1, Nagpur, had been transferred to Gadchiroli on May 28 this year. Every government official who is below 50 years of age has to serve three years in Gadchiroli as it is a Naxal-affected area.
However, the very next day, Savale wrote a letter to chief engineer of PWD, Nagpur region, that Barai should be retained on his present post.
The letter dated May 29 reads as follows: At the outset, I express my gratitude to you and your department for giving the best services for upgrading the infrastructure and building provided to the district court. The execution of plans, however, was very sincerely made by Rajendra Barai, sectional engineer, district court, Nagpur.
Presently, the work of strengthening the old court building is being monitored by him and so also the construction of the new eight-storied building. His dedication to work has solved many problems on the premises, including the parking of vehicles, sanitation of the premises and upgrading the building.
“We, all the judges working in the district court at Nagpur, therefore, sincerely wish that Barai be retained on his present post and work assigned to him for longer time as possible. This is also because he knows the ins and outs of the court building and every structural problem therein. The building is now 50 years old. A very careful monitoring of it, to keep it structurally fit has become a dire necessity, which can be served, according to us, by Barai only,” said Savale.
Senior counsel Shreerang Bhandarkar blasted Savale for the letter. “How can he do this? This is beyond his jurisdiction and he has exceeded his domain. This is atrocious and should be dealt with sternly. A district judge getting in these kind of decisions is unheard of and patently illegal. PWD should have ignored his letter,” he said.