Imphal, October 28 2009: Coupled with the pervading atmosphere of making do with whatever is available, adhoc measures resorted to from time to time has seriously afflicted the Public Works Department.

Under the existing trend, it would not be long before an SO, also functioning as AE in-charge, takes over as the Chief Engineer.

All engineers of the Department excepting the Chief Engineer are in-charge of one post or another.

The batch of Assistant Engineers appointed through Manipur Public Service Commission in 1985 are still holding the posts of AE receiving the same basic pay though many of them are working as in-charge Superintending Engineers.

After the appointment of AEs in 1985, no engineers were appointed in PWD since then.

As a result of non-recruitment of engineers for a prolonged period, many engineers who joined service as SO are functioning as in-charge Assistant Engineers according to their respective experiences.

Up in the next stage, engineers appointed to the posts of Assistant Engineers in the first place are working as in-charge SEs after holding the post of Executive Engineers, again on in-charge basis.

Many engineers had got retirement while some others have expired without getting any regular promotion in their entire service career.

They joined service as AEs and retired as AEs after more than 20 years of service.

Literally, the whole Department is being run by in-charge officials.

Even as some efforts were made to rectify the seniority list and streamline official hierarchy, the Government left the matter at the same problematic stage on the pretext that engineers were fighting cases amongst themselves.

Considering all these irregularities and adhoc measures being employed by the Government from time to time, it cannot be ruled out that an SO in-charge of AE may eventually become the Chief Engineer in-charge.

At present, the Public Works Department has 144 AEs, 36 EEs, eight SEs and three Additional Chief Engineers.

Some engineers have also expressed strong reservation against giving top posts of the Department to engineers coming from other background like electrical engineering in place of civil engineers.

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