In a spate of pre-mature retirements forced by the Gujarat government over the past few weeks, another Class 1 officer Pankaj Barot is the latest casualty, thus becoming the third Class I officer to be prematurely retired “with immediate effect” in one month.
Barot was serving as the chief officer of Petlad Municipality until Saturday afternoon, when the retirement order was served on him.
In the notification signed by Deputy Secretary (Urban Development and Urban Housing) Manish Shah, the government said that in exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 10(4) of the Gujarat Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2002, and in pursuance of the government resolution issued on September 29, 2023, the state, “in public interest”, prematurely retires Barot, municipal chief officer Class 1 of Petlad Municipality, with immediate effect from July 20, 2024.
“He shall be paid an amount equivalent to three months’ salary and allowances, calculated at the same rate he was drawing immediately before the issuance of this notification,” it added.
The notification enlisted two incidents of a departmental inquiry and a chargesheet filed against Barot – dated September 9, 2021 and May 19, 2023, respectively.
Barot was transferred as chief officer to Petlad Municipality in Anand district in January this year from Deesa Municipality, where he was serving as the chief officer since 2023. Prior to that, he had served as chief officer of Palanpur and Tharad municipalities in Banaskantha.
He had also served as the chief officer of Anand Municipality from December 2012 to February 2016, when he was booked by the Anand police under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in a case pertaining to the extension construction of a shopping complex. Barot had appealed in the Gujarat High Court to quash the FIR, stating that it “attributed no role” to him.
On July 5, the state government had retired “with immediate effect” deputy director of Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration, SJ Pandya, for his alleged involvement in the six bogus government offices scam.
He is currently in judicial custody after being arrested by Dahod district police in February.
Also, on June 22, the state government had ordered the immediate premature retirement of a Class 1 officer of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL), superintending engineer J J Pandya, stating that “his behaviour and reputation is such that continuing his services is a danger to public service and damaging to public interest”.
It must be recalled that the Gujarat government functioning has come under the scanner multiple times in recent years over a series of incidents leading to loss of lives and property.
Several allegations of corruption and controversies have dogged the state administration, even as several probes into irregularities are going on.
In May 2019, a major fire at a coaching centre in Surat led to the death of at least 22 youngsters who were studying there. A builder and manager were later arrested in the case. Surat Deputy chief fire officer SK Acharya and Fire officer Kirti Modh were suspended and a probe ordered. The Gujarat High Court had sought a detailed report from the state government on the investigation into the tragedy. People in the know had alleged irregularities in giving permission to the owners to run the business without proper clearances.
On October 30, 2022, a pedestrian suspension bridge over Machchhu River in Morbi collapsed days after it was renovated and reopened for the public, causing the death of at least 142 people and injuries to more than 180 others. Initial reports said that the bridge was reopened early after repairs, without the required certificate of fitness from the local civic authorities of Morbi municipality.
In January 2024, in Vadodara’s Harni Lake, 14 people, including 12 children, drowned while boating. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation was blamed for the irregularities in the operation of the boat that led to the incident. It was reported that the boat was overloaded, and the children were not provided life jackets.
In the latest incident, on May 25, 2024, at least 33 people were killed in a fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Rajkot. The High Court of Gujarat took suo motu cognizance of the incident and called it prima facie a “man-made disaster”.
