3 months on, Malout awaits regular SDM

It has been almost three months since Malout subdivision has been without a regular Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

The post is vacant ever since SDM Sanjeev Kumar was transferred on May 7. The subdivision covers two key Assembly constituencies — Malout and Lambi — represented by Cabinet Ministers Dr Baljit Kaur and Gurmeet Singh Khudian, respectively. Despite the political significance of the area, no full-time officer has been appointed yet.

Gidderbaha SDM Jaspal Singh Brar is currently holding the additional charge of Malout. He is also serving as the Joint Commissioner of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation.

Sources said Brar visits Malout twice a week and often stays late into the night to clear pending files.

Further compounding the administrative load, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish is also holding the additional charge of Director, Mining, and frequently travels to Chandigarh. In his absence, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Gurpreet Singh Thind oversees the district’s day-to-day functioning.

Sources said without a regular SDM, works were getting delayed and public services slowing down. With the rainy season bringing new challenges and many local issues needing quick action, not having a full-time officer was making things worse, they claimed.