E-Paper
6 yrs, three months...not out
ARE SOME officers more equal than others? Yes, if we are talking about commissioner, Kanpur division. Even as the State government directed that no top official stayed beyond six years at a single place anywhere in the State, the directive was given a go-by when it came to commissioner Anita Bhatnagar Jain who has completed six years and three months in various offices in Kanpur. She continues to enjoy perhaps the longest stint by any officer in a city.
ARE SOME officers more equal than others? Yes, if we are talking about commissioner, Kanpur division.
Even as the State government directed that no top official stayed beyond six years at a single place anywhere in the State, the directive was given a go-by when it came to commissioner Anita Bhatnagar Jain who has completed six years and three months in various offices in Kanpur. She continues to enjoy perhaps the longest stint by any officer in a city. This is clearly against the tenets of the government’s very own order about the posting and the stay of officials in a city.
Last year on May 12, then chief secretary released the new transfer policy vide order 1/3/96 (1)-KA-4-2005. In its para 2 and 3 clearly asking for immediate shifting of those who had completed six years in a district and 10 years in a division.
Subsequently, many officials were handed over their marching orders from the city. In several cases, the authorities concerned even calculated their total service period in Kanpur to six years on the basis of their postings.
Maximum of them were from the police department. “Since they had served at other places as well, this yardstick was not applicable to them.
Surprisingly, all those playing the longest innings were not touched,” commented an official.
Jain, on her part, had joined the city as district magistrate on July 2000 and was replaced by BS Bhullar when she failed to control the March 16 riots in 2001.
She was charged along with SSP GP Sharma with inept handling of the situation.
What really went against her was her failure in turning up at Parade for hours even as the city went up in flames.
However, the days of oblivion were over soon and 13 days later she returned as vice-chairperson of Kanpur Development Authority (KDA).
Here she served for two years and six months. In the process, she was promoted to super-scale. As the post didn’t match her seniority, she was transferred but not out of the city.
She was appointed the labour commissioner, a post she relinquished in July 2004 after six months in office.
Since then she remains the commissioner of Kanpur division, creating a record.
No IAS officer prior to her has served as commissioner longer. One official coming close to her in term of longest stint is ADM Abrar Ahmed, who has completed four years in Kanpur.
