Malik Jehangir:
SRINAGAR: Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) is following its own set of principles when it comes to publishing the advertisements and releasing the payments for the same to the different news organizations.
The officers manning this autonomous body are virtually showing no respect to the directives issued by the Department of Finance and Department of Information with regard to the publishing of advertisements. These officers are following hegemony and are dictating terms to the newspapers and their owners.
Sources said that the BOPEE authorities vehemently deny payment to the newspapers that publish their advertisements from time to time. This leads to a crisis like situation for the newspaper owners since they follow the norm while publishing the advertisements.
“The Department of Information accommodates small newspapers by giving them advertisements of different autonomous bodies from time to time under the non-budget category. Since the BOPEE is an autonomous body these rules apply to it as well. However, on ground the situation is different,” said sources.
Sources said that the official entrusted with the responsibility of releasing the payments after the publication of advertisement is acting no less than a boss. Chairman of BOPEE who is expected to show some wisdom is virtually acting like a dictator and hurls abuses as well as invectives on editors and owners who contact him with regard to payments.
“What is the fun of wetting the bills by the Department of Information when an autonomous body like BOPEE denies payments to the newspapers? Action under rules should be taken against the BOPEE and the people manning this autonomous body. As on date they are acting like dictators with the small newspaper editors being forced to feel the heat,” said sources.
It would be in place to mention here that Directorate of Agriculture Kashmir has been showering benefits on the family of Chairman BOPEE who is a retired bureaucrat. Chairman BOPEE who retired as Commissioner Secretary, Agriculture has been receiving undue benefits, despite the fact that he hang up his boots some years back.
“A driver of the Department of Agriculture continues to be deputed at the residence of the retired bureaucrat round the clock. Besides the services of driver, a vehicle of the department is made available to the retired bureaucrat as and when required by him or his family members.” said sources.
Sources said that the retired bureaucrat played an important role in appointing the present Director Agriculture Kashmir. The HOD is reciprocating the same by extending benefits to the retired bureaucrat and his family, said sources.