Competent, credible officer suspended for implementing directions on ground
By: Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR: Nothing seems to be going right in the department of agriculture especially in the Kashmir valley as order after order is being issued with respect to the transfer of officers and officials posted at different positions in the Directorates of Agriculture, Kashmir and Jammu and at the district level.
In the latest development the office of the Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department issued suspension order of Idrees Bashir, in-charge Chief Agriculture Officer, Srinagar. The said officer has been attached with the administrative department with immediate effect.
“The order issued by the Chief Agriculture Officer, Srinagar under endorsement No. CASO/Estt/F-89/2025-2026/565-71 dated 07.05.2025 is hereby rescinded ab-intio,” reads government order number 200-JK (APD) of 2025 dated 08-05-2025. The order further reads, “Pending enquiry into the matter Mr. Idrees Bashir, looking after the charge of Chief Agriculture Officer, Srinagar is placed under suspension with immediate effect and attached in the administrative department.
Sources in the department say that the personal section of the agriculture minister is so powerful that they could get the order issued from the office of Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department. The sources said that Idrees Bashir is one of the competent officers of the department and over the years he has proved himself while serving in the different capacities in the department.
Sources said that the officer was suspended since he implemented the government order seeking the placement of officers and officials in the various agriculture zones of the valley rather than placing them in the directorate or at the district level offices. They said that Idrees did not budge under any pressure and ensured that the officer was implemented in totality.
In the meantime after facing flak for issuing erroneous transfer orders of various officers and officials the department came out with an order. In the said order it has been mentioned that names of officers and officials who were transferred deem to have been deleted from the transfer order issued earlier.
“In partial modification of Govt Order No. 186–JK (APD) of 2025 dated 02-05-2025, it is hereby ordered that the names of following officers/officials shall be deemed to have been deleted ab-initio from the aforementioned government order,” reads the government order number 193-JK (APD) of 2025 dated 07-05-2025.
The officers mentioned in the order are Amarjeet Singh, DAO Ganderbal; Ambika Rani, Assistant Botanist under orders of transfer as SMS-II CAD Jammu; Kuldeep Raj Basan, SMS-II Kathua under orders of transfer as ASCO (RRD) CAD Jammu; Sushil Kumar Gupta under orders of transfer as SMS-Marh, Jammu; Naresh Raina, SMS-III Poonch under orders of transfer as ADO in CAD Jammu; Upwan Koul, SMS-III Marh under order of transfer as SMS-III Samba; Joginder Singh, SMS-II Kupwara under orders of transfer as SMS-II CAD Jammu; Showkat Hussain Magloo, MDO Anantnag under orders of transfer as Farm Manager, Padgampora; Syed Mushtaq, DAEO Inputs Kupwara under orders of transfer as SMS-II Kulgam; Mohammad Shafi Dar under orders of transfer as AEO D.H Pura SO Kulgam; Durishawar Khan, under orders of transfer as AEO Quimoh, SD Quimoh; Imran Javid Shah, Farm Manager Veg. Banihal under orders of transfer as AEO Rasil, SD Ram Nagar and Ghulam Qadir War, ADA Uri under orders of transfer as AEO Kunzar, SD Tangmarg.
In the order a warning has been issued to the Secretary (Technical) to issue the transfer orders in the future while applying the required parameters needed for the same. “Pending enquiry into the errors depicted above, Secretary (Technical) is warned to remain careful in future in this matter,” the order adds.
Interestingly many other officers and officials who were included in the ‘erroneous’ list of transfers have not been touched in the above mentioned order. It remains to be seen whether the department will issue any corrigendum with respect to the transfer of these officers or officials or the matter will be brushed under the carpet.