NEW DELHI: What could have been a ‘holy job’ of overseeing the cleaning of the Ganga, the posting is turning out to be jinxed. Three mission directors of the National Mission for Clean Ganga have changed in the past two years, setting back the clock on ground work needed to begin the massive project.
Rajat Bhargava was last week shown the door. He lasted for barely five months. Before him, the post was lying vacant for 10 months after shifting of TVSN Prasad in August 2015. Prasad had replaced Rajiv Ranjan Mishra.
Three directors of the National Mission for Clean Ganga have changed in two years. Rajat Bhargava, a 1990-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, was sacked last week. He lasted for five months. Before him, the post was vacant for 10 months after shifting TVSN Prasad, an IAS officer of Haryana cadre, in August 2015. Prasad had replaced IAS officer Rajiv Ranjan Mishra.
With the PMO monitoring the Ganga work, frequent change of mission heads comes from the top, said a water ministry official. Reasons for this could be poor planning and slow progress of work, delay in decision making and more focus on publicity.
“It is very sad that government has not been able to zero in on some fit for the job. It takes six months for someone new to understand the work. Before he gets a hang of it, he is shifted out,” said a ministry official.
In July this year, the government launched the first set of 231 projects worth `1,500 crore for construction of ghats, crematoriums and surface cleaning of river. In May 2015, the ministry decided to take work related to setting up and operating Sewage Treatment Plants on Design, Build, operate and transfer) mode for cleaning Ganga. It changed its stand in January.