Top IAS posts lying vacant

Chennai: Administrative file works, reviews and board meetings of various government departments continue to be affected with more than 10 top IAS officers' posts lying vacant in Chennai.

According to confidential sources in secretariat, secretaries are now holding key posts in other government departments and it is becoming strenuous for senior IAS officers and their subordinates to do multi-tasking stretching the working hours.

For instance, industries secretary Vikram Kapur is holding the additional post of Chennai metro water managing director and the same metro water also has the post of executive director lying vacant.

Also, the environment and forest secretary Atulya Misra is also holding the top post of chairman of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board as an additional charge.

“These posts are crucial and needs a dedicated full time civil service officer and this situation has been continuing for the past two months,” said a highly placed source wishing not to be named.

The situation at secretariat housing 31 government departments is also not encouraging. The posts of department secretaries like energy, agriculture, tourism, social welfare reforms and special project implementations are either vacant or held by another secretary who is already full with his routine work, sources said.

“Senior bureaucrats like Gagandeep Singh Bedi, T.K. Ramachandran and A. Karthick are also holding additional posts extending their work schedule. The issue of vacancies related to IAS officers was taken up with the state through IAS officers association, but necessary actions are pending,” said another officer.

A few junior level IAS officers have also left the state cadre and joined the Centre, creating vacancies, this also need to be examined and filled, the official added.