PSEB chief gets govt snub
Asked to withdraw orders clipping powers of officials
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 24
The state government has directed PSEB Chairman HS Brar to withdraw his office orders, whereby he had given sanction for putting up of files directly to him by bypassing both the Member, Finance and Accounts, as well as the board Secretary.

According to sources, the Additional Secretary, Power, through a communication on January 11 told the Chairman that his order of December 15 had been reviewed and that the same needed to be withdrawn immediately. The communication makes it clear that the direction has the approval of the Chief Secretary and also states that the action-taken report should be reported back immediately.

However, it seems the PSEB is slow on reacting to government directions. The board Chairman is still to review his earlier order. When contacted, Brar first heard out the case but disconnected the phone later without giving his version. He could not be contacted later.

Brar had issued an office order on December 15 in which he listed that since both the Member, Finance and Accounts, Anurag Aggarwal, and the Board Secretary, Hussan Lal, were holding dual charge and not staying in the headquarters, all important files should be put up before him by the respective head of departments.

Aggarwal and Hussan Lal had taken umbrage at the order and had written demi-official letters to the Principal Secretary, Power, alleging that the Chairman was acting against the instructions of the government. Both of them urged that the orders of the Chairman be reviewed immediately. However, the Board Secretary, when questioned on the issue, said he would not like to make any comment.

Sources said the Chairman’s earlier orders had upset the functioning of the board. They said traditionally, all files pertaining to the Secretariat functioning came to the Secretary, who was also the person responsible for dealing with court cases. Similarly, all files pertaining to finances are put up before the Member, Finance.

Sources added that the Chairman had given the plea that files could be cleared more quickly if they came to him directly.

The government has through the order maintained status quo in the board. Though earlier it was felt that the Chairman had been given the upper hand after he was given another extension, the board has also extended the term of Member, Distributionb K D Choudhary, who does not quite see eye to eye with him. Similarly, by withdrawing the order on the issue of files, the government has made it clear that it will not do away with established work norms.