Arunachal govt cancels 'illegal' appointments in PHE department

Amid protests from various organisations, the Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to cancel the "illegal" appointments of 20 people in the Public Health Engineering and Water Supply department (PHE&WS) in Changlang district. The state government has also approved an investigation into the alleged recruitment irregularities by the special investigation cell (SIC) of the state police.

An official order issued by PHE&WS secretary A K Singh on Tuesday stated that the appointments were made in violation of prescribed procedures and without sanctioned posts.

Consequently, the state government has sanctioned the cancellation of these appointments, and the secretary has instructed the department's superintending engineer to promptly issue formal termination orders for the 20 staffers under Miao Circle.


The irregularities came to light after the All Arunachal Pradesh Public Health Engineering Water Supply Department Workers Union (AAPPHE & WSDWU) had recently alleged that several illegal appointments were made in the department in Changlang and Longding districts of the state.

The union had alleged that 25 persons were illegally appointed in the department, which was mostly made just before the assembly elections in March.

Sources at the police department informed that the SIC has registered the FIR and is going to start the investigation.

Expressing satisfaction over the development, AAPPHE & WSDWU, which has been spearheading the fight against the illegal appointments made in the department, has welcomed the decision to approve the SIC for investigation, and the cancellation of appointments.

"We hope the SIC will start the investigation at the earliest and punish the people involved in the illegal appointments. No one should be spared, including the officials involved in this massive job scam," union president Tadar Dawa said.