Explanation sought from the ExEn seeking divine intervention in missing service book case
Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
Stunned by an order issued by an executive engineer in which he asked all the officers and employees to bring two fistful rice from their homes to be thrown in some temple in order to seek divine intervention in a case involving missing service book of an officer, the Engineer in chief and head of department of Public Works Department (PWD) of Uttarakhand has sought explanation from the executive engineer.
In his order the HoD, PWD, Rajesh Chandra has directed the executive engineer of National Highways (NH) division, Lohaghat, Champawat, Ashutosh Kumar to submit his explanation on the strange order issued by him within three days.
In an order dated May 15, 2025, Kumar had asked all the employees of his office to carry two fistfuls of rice from their homes and place them in some temple in order to solicit divine intervention in the case involving the missing service book of additional assistant engineer Jai Prakash. He said that the service book is missing from the Almirah of the office assistant. Kumar said that all the efforts to find the missing service book have failed due to which both the office assistant and the AAE Jai Prakash are suffering from mental stress. “In this situation, an idea of seeking divine justice cropped up. All are requested to bring two fistfuls of rice from their homes and deposit them in the office on May 17, 2025 so that the problem is solved,’’ the order read.
The bizarre order seeking divine intervention to find the missing service book became a talking point in the State administration and general public. The copy of the order also got circulated on the social media platforms with users’ lampooning the officer and the department for showing faith in the archaic practice instead of registering a complaint with the local police. The officer however has now been asked to explain things by the HoD of state PWD.
