Six disaster-prone districts without Deputy Collectors

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 28

Several posts of Deputy Collector are lying vacant in Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital and Almora districts that are vulnerable to disasters. This is the situation at a time when the rains have already created havoc in Ukhimath in Chamoli district and in Pithoragarh district.

The Department of Personnel has failed to effectively utilise the services of Deputy Collectors, most of whom have managed get themselves attached with various departments in Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital.

After the 2013 mid-June disaster, all districts have put in place disaster management plans where besides the District Magistrates, the Deputy Collectors are also entrusted with the responsibility of an effective role in the disaster response system.

A Deputy Collector is to act as a points man and the main contact point during disaster, relief and recovery. His role is all the more important in the Incident Response System put in place by the Department of Disaster Management where he has to assist the District Magistrates.

In contrast, several Deputy Collectors have been posted or are on deputation to other districts rather than to Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Almora where no Deputy Collectors have been posted.

Information gathered from the districts has revealed that Pithoragarh is worse off. Despite its remoteness and vulnerability to disasters, three of the five posts of Deputy Collector are lying vacant. Two officers are working as officiating Deputy Collectors.

Surprisingly, three posts of Deputy Collector are vacant in Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s home district of Almora.

Further, there are several Deputy Collectors who have either been sent on deputation to various departments in Dehradun when they should be assigned field duties. In Dehradun district, three PCS officers have been made officiating Deputy Collectors. Similarly, in Bageshwar district also, two officers are officiating Deputy Collectors.

In Uttarakhand, Deputy Collectors are recruited through the Sate Civil Service Examinations and with time they get entry or promotion to the Indian Administrative Services.