Officials in Coimbatore Corporation are looking up to the State government and new Commissioner to remove anomalies in posting officials to Class One posts.
The anomalies had cropped up in the last few years as officials who managed to gain favour with the then political dispensation went to Chennai, obtained favourable posts even though there were incumbents, and the Corporation officials here exceeded their powers in transferring those incumbents, said sources.
As per Section 106 of The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, 1981 it was the State government that appointed persons to posts included in Class One category and the class included all heads of departments in the Corporation other than Commissioner and officers appointed to assist the Commissioner.
By virtue of being the appointing authority, it was the Government – in this case the Secretary Municipal Administration Department - that had the powers to transfer the Class One officers – Assistant Commissioners of the five zones, Revenue, Accounts, Personnel, Town Planning Officer, City Engineers and two executive engineers, City Health Officer and Assistant City Health Officer
In the last few years, a few officials who found favour with the then political dispensation obtained favourable orders even when there was no vacancy, the sources said and added that to accommodate the officers who had the orders, the then Corporation administration transferred the incumbents.
The Corporation administration that transferred the incumbents had no powers as it was only the Government (Secretary) that should transfer the officials.
The anomaly that existed at the heads of department level was also present in the engineering wing and markedly at that. The Corporation had a city engineer, two executive engineers for works and an executive engineer for planning (Town Planning Officer). Of the two executive engineers for works, one was to get two wards, the other three with the post of assistant commissioner of a zone.
But the way the Corporation had gone about concentrating powers in a few engineers and cutting to size other engineers had demoralised the force, the sources said.
Likewise, the Corporation had also erred in giving to an engineer on deputation the post reserved for engineers who had risen to its ranks had also upset a few.
The sources further pointed out that same anomaly also existed in the health and sanitation wing, where a officers in the rank of sanitary officers had been side lined to make way for juniors who were now serving as zonal sanitary officers in-charge.
The Corporation sources said they looked forward to the new government and present Corporation dispensation to set right the system and respect seniority.
Corporation officials said they would look into the issue.
