PRI Members of Great Nicobar Threatens to Close Down Offices if Adequate Engineering Staff is Not Posted

Tarun Karthick

 Campbell Bay, 23 June 2022

The Elected Representatives of various Panchayati Raj Institutions of Great Nicobar have written a letter to the Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Administration informing him that they will close down the office of Assistant Engineer, PRI, the offices of all Panchayats & Pramukh if adequate Engineering staff is not posted at Campbell Bay in a week. 

The PRI Members have demanded the posting of one Junior Engineer each in all three panchayats, one Junior Engineer for Panchayat Samiti, one Junior Engineer for Zilla Parishad and one Assistant Engineer for all three tiers of the PRI system. 

The PRI Members in their letter have informed the Chief Secretary that their responsibility is to solve the grievances of the general public, but they are not able to carry out any developmental work due to the non-posting of engineers at Campbell Bay.

Two Junior Engineers were earlier posted at Campbell Bay, they were transferred out in January 2022. One out of the two JE has joined his place of posting, whereas the other JE is waiting for his reliever.

Two Junior Engineers were also posted to Campbell Bay in place of the transferred JEs, but neither of them has reported to their place of posting nor the department has taken any action.

The Pradhans of Govind Nagar and Campbell Bay had informed the Director (Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Institutions) in the month of May 2022, regarding the non-availability of adequate Engineering staff. The Pramukh had also requested expediting the posting of adequate Engineers to Campbell Bay in May 2022. The Zilla Parishad Member, Govind Nagar and Pradhan, Govind Nagar met the Director (Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Institutions) and requested him for posting of adequate Engineering Staff. Even after multiple intimations, adequate Engineering Staff has not been posted for the PRIs at Great Nicobar.

The Gram Panchayat Development Plans of all three Panchayats of Great Nicobar have already been passed by the respective Gram Sabhas, but the development works are not starting because of the shortage of Engineering staff.

PRI Members have requested the Chief Secretary to issue necessary directions for posting adequate Engineering Staff to Campbell Bay, for the execution and monitoring of the developmental works.