Bending rules at whims

The manner in which many bureaucrats and VIPs bend rules to suit their convenience leaves one wondering whether the rules are only for the common man with no connections. The case in question is how the category and type of official bungalows in the state capital are being lowered so as to make entitlement of spouses after they retire from their cushy post. One wonders whether this is permissible within the rules. "Nothing changes in the bungalow except its type in official records to ensure its availability to the spouse of a serving or retired officers. This shows blatant misuse of power by those who are at the helm of affairs," remarked an official. To set the record right, this is not a trend that has caught up during the new BJP regime. Even during the Congress rule, this was being done with impunity. That is probably one reason why there is such a scramble for official houses as so many of the bungalows meant for ministers and senior bureaucrats were allotted to the spouses of those who retired by lowering the category of the house so as to ensure entitlement.

Breathing easy in Shimla

With the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats and senior government functionaries moving bag and baggage to Dharamsala for the five-day winter session of the Vidhan Sabha, the people are breathing easy here in the state capital. Even if the state secretariat wears a deserted look, nobody is complaining. Some of the officials, though very few who could avoid going to Dharamsala for the session, are more than happy. "At least in the absence of the 'sarkaar' we can do some good work without being nagged for insignificant works like transfers, which, to some, seems the only important and urgent work," remarked one officer.

The locals too are a happy lot as there will be less traffic congestion on roads and relatively comfortable situation with regard to parking. However, Dharamsala residents will be at the receiving end for a week!

Political affiliations blur party lines      

This week the political affiliations blurred when senior leaders took sides with their supporters across party lines in Kangra district. In Dharamsala Municipal Corporation a senior minister called up officials and directed them to support a Congress leader for getting his illegal building legalized. In another incident former CM PK Dhumal, during his visit to Dharamsala for a private function of a supporter, was seen with the Deputy Mayor of Dharamsala Municipal Corporation who has recently been ousted from the party for siding with Congress in the local body.

Interestingly, local unit of the BJP maintained distance from the visit of former Chief Minister on the plea that they were not invited to the private function. However, all this has rumour mills spinning ahead of the winter session of Himachal Assembly.

Scramble for credit

Taking credit for development works has led to a war of words between the politicians from the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress in the Doon constituency. While the Congress recently raised a lot of hue and cry over the foundation stone over a bridge over Ratta Khad which they claimed had already been laid during their tenure, the BJP was keen to register this work in its account and none other than the Chief Minister laid its foundation stone during his recent visit to the area. The controversy had barely died when Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj inaugurated a school building, constructed a year ago, at a time when the staff was mourning the death of a teacher. While the act drew sharp criticism from the locals, one wondered why taking credit was so important than executing development works which was a continuous process, never mind which government was in power.