Job aspirants protest ‘recruitment irregularities’ in Jal Shakti Dept

Job aspirants in Chamba staged a protest amid heavy rain on Thursday against alleged irregularities in recruitments in the Jal Shakti Department for the posts of Para Pump Operator, Para Fitter and Multi-Purpose Workers.

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The Chamba Jal Shakti Department had recently filled up 40 posts — 11 posts of Para Pump Operators, four of Para Fitter and 25 posts of Multi-Purpose Workers.

The protestors, led by BJP executive committee member Jai Singh, alleged massive irregularities in the selection process, accusing officials of disregarding established rules and favoring ineligible candidates. They raised slogans demanding justice for deserving candidates and condemned the alleged corruption in the recruitment process.

Addressing the gathering, Jai Singh alleged that under the Congress rule, rules and qualifications have been ignored to accommodate favoured candidates. He further claimed that the recruitment process for Para Pump Operators, Para Fitters, and Multi-Purpose Workers in the Jal Shakti Division Chamba disregarded merit-based selection. Many highly qualified and deserving candidates were excluded, while those with lower scores were recruited.

Singh pointed out that some recruits do not meet the eligibility criteria, questioning how an 18-year-old candidate managed to fulfill the requirement of four years of work experience. Additionally, he highlighted a case where a woman candidate allegedly used her father’s experience certificate in place of her own. Singh further alleged that even candidates with 97% and 90% marks were overlooked.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, demanding a thorough investigation into the recruitment process and the cancellation of the current selection. They insisted that fresh recruitment be conducted with complete transparency. The protesters also issued a warning that their agitation would continue until a fair inquiry was conducted and the recruitment process is annulled. They threatened to show black flags to the Public Works Minister during his upcoming visit to Chamba as a mark of protest.

Meanwhile, Jitendra Sharma, Executive Engineer of Jal Shakti Division, Chamba, defended the recruitment process, stating that full transparency was maintained. He said all appointments were made strictly as per norms. He explained that a screening committee was constituted to thoroughly verify all certificates and qualifications, ensuring that top-ranking candidates were selected based on merit.