Few days after the Ministry of Home Affairs rejected IAS officer Yashpal Garg’s request of changing his hard place of posting to any other regular area as he has already served more than 5.5 years in a hard field, the officer has shot off a communique to UT Adviser asking that he be relieved as soon as possible, as keeping him here was in violation of the guidelines passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mr Garg, who is the Health Secretary, is known for conducting surprise inspections and pointing out gaps in the system in UT. He was on June 8 transferred to Arunachal Pradesh.
After his transfer orders, he had requested and written a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs requesting that a new place of posting from hard area to any regular area be done as he has already completed the hard tenure of more than 5 years and a half in a hard field (Andaman and Nicobar islands).
He had also cited humanitarian grounds as his father just passed away and his 90 year old mother who is bed ridden and residing with him would find it difficult to move to the hard field area. He had clearly mentioned that he doesn’t intend to stay back in Chandigarh. But his request was turned down by the Ministry.
After June 8 when Garg was transferred and Ministry rejected his request, he had sent a communique to relieve him on June 26 as well. However, there was no response with regard to the same.
The IAS Officer was holding charge of the Health Secretary in Chandigarh- a prominent portfolio. He was the only officer who had been conducting surprise inspections and pointing out gaps in the health system.
Garg was the only officer who had dared to move the doctors sitting on deputation from other states. However, he had to succumb to the political pressure and reverse the orders.
The IAS officer has in the recent communique written to the UT Adviser last week quoted guidelines and rules of the Ministry which state that not relieving him would be non-compliance of the guidelines.
