By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: When thousands of qualified youth are sitting jobless the Government of Meghalaya is re-employing its retired employees. Is this fair? The latest one to be re-employed is the Chief Engineer of the State Sports Council, W Kharmalki. His services have been extended for another two years.
Kharmalki, who was due to retire on July 31, has managed to get another two years extension on the flimsy ground that his junior officers are not yet ready to occupy the top post in the Council.
This decision of the Government for extending his service is no surprise since the officer is known to be a very influential technocrat.
Reportedly Kharmalki has managed to make the various Sports and Youth Affairs Minister dance to his tune.
Interestingly even some of the more intelligent and savvy politicians who have earlier held the Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio have treated Kharmalki like their ‘Godfather’ for the reasons not exactly unknown to many.
The public will be surprised but Kharmalki has created a history of sorts by occupying the post of Chief Engineer despite being only a diploma holder in Engineering.
“Nowhere in the country would a diploma holder be promoted to the post of Chief Engineer. Normally, the maximum that a diploma holder can climb is up to the position of Executive Engineer,” sources told The Shillong Times said on Thursday.
Sources pointed out that a diploma holder does not qualify to hold the position of the Chief Engineer since it a position which relates to policy formulation.
“The simple reason that Kharmalki has been made Chief Engineer by flouting all norms is because he has always managed to please his political bosses. This is an open secret which everyone in the Sports and Youth Affairs department is aware off,” sources said.
According to sources, Kharmalki had joined the State Sports Council in 1988-89 when the Engineering Wing in the Council was conceptualized.
“It was Dr RC Laloo during his tenure as the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs who came up with the idea of creating a separate Engineering Wing for development of sports infrastructure in the State. In the initial stages, three Junior Engineers (JE) including Kharmalki had joined the Engineering Wing of the Council,” sources informed, adding that before joining the Council, Kharmalki had served in the Housing, Warehouse and the erstwhile MeSEB.
Sources informed that it was during the tenure of former Sports and Youth Affairs Minister PK Raswai that Kharmalki elevated himself to the post of Chief Project Engineer.
“Finally, it was in the late 90’s that Kharmalki elevated himself to the post of Chief Engineer which he continues to hold at present,” sources added.
Meanwhile, Sports and Youth Minister BM Lanong when asked why the Department has extended Kharmalki’s tenure said the decision is based on the former CE’s experience in the field while stating that there are many major projects undertaken by the Council and with Kharmalki as the Chief Engineer of the State Sports Council, the project can speed up.
Lanong also stated that besides Kharmalki, there were many other officers whose terms had been extended. “There are no specific reasons for their extension but since this is a Council, people with experience are needed to complete the pending projects of the Council”, he said.
Lanong further added that Kharmalki is still strong and healthy and extending his term as the Chief Engineer of the Council is a good step.