Amid rapid urbanisation, ULBs across Kashmir crippled by staff shortage

Srinagar, July 27: As cities and towns continue to expand and evolve, the lack of adequate staff in most of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Kashmir severely hampers their ability to function effectively as a result of which the critical staff shortage affects the proper implementation of crucial developmental initiatives.

A recent duty roaster order issued by the Director ULBs Kashmir vide order No DULB/Estt/4111/329 of 2024 dated July 19, 2024, for the chief executive officers and the executive officers shows how operational abilities of these urban local bodies are compromised in the wake of the staff shortage.

As per the duty roaster, the in-charge Chief Executive Officer Pulwama holding additional charges of Pampore and Khrew had been assigned two days each of a week at Pulwama, Pampore, and Khrew.

The official is already an in-charge official and is holding additional charges of Pampore and Khrew municipal councils.

Similarly, the Executive Officer, Municipal Council Baramulla, who is holding additional charge of municipal committee Watergam and Uri had been assigned two days each at these three urban local bodies offices.

Another executive officer of Municipal Council Anantnag had been assigned three days a week at Anantnag and Pahalgam offices.

As per the order, 14 executive officers are holding additional charges of 19 municipal councils and committees and have signed a new duty roaster.

“For the smooth functioning of the ULBs that are being looked after by the Chief Executive Officers and Executive Officers of the ULBs, the duty roaster is issued for strict compliance by all the concerned,” the order reads.

“Further, it is impressed upon all the executive officers of municipal councils and committees to follow the duty roaster strictly and to ensure equitable attention towards all ULBs. The concerned CEOs and EOs should share their geo-tagged photographs every day to this office at 10.30 am positively,” the order reads.

An Executive Officer of one of the municipal councils said that the practice of additional charges is a major hurdle in the smooth functioning of these ULBs and is crippling the functioning of the urban local bodies.

He said the situation has emerged due to the failure of the authorities to carry out departmental promotions, which has been pending for two decades.

“There have been no departmental promotions for around two decades,” said an official. “The concerned authorities have failed to hold the Departmental Promotional Committee (DPC). With the result, all the officials of the municipal councils have been deprived of their promotions and its impact has badly affected the implementation of the schemes meant for the urban areas.”

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director ULBs Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom said, “The issue of promotion of executive officers does not pertain to me.”