The Haryana government on Friday transferred senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka as Principal Secretary, for Haryana Science and Technology Department and the Fisheries department. This is Khemka’s 54th transfer in 29 years in the civil services.
IAS officer Ashok Khemka was currently assigned as the Principal Secretary of Archives, Archaeology and Museum. The 1991 batch officer was transferred to his current profile hardly 11 months back.
The Haryana government did not mention any reasons behind Khemka’s latest transfer orders. Khemka has often raised issues on protection of hilly areas in the state which didn’t go down well with many quarters
Khemka had also suggested that the government ban construction and mining activities in Aravalli hill area comprising the 8 revenue estates in the Regional Plan 2041 to conserve archaeological heritage and ecological security.
In his report Khemka had pointed out that there are vested commercial interests in Roj-Ka-Gujjar, Kot, Shilakari Damdama and Dhauj. Khemka in his report had mentioned, “Private mining and commercial activities will trump the large public interest to protect the natural environment of the pre-historic site and rock shelters of Aravali Hills.”
According to reports, state cabinet minister Anil Vij and IAS officer Ashok Khemka are very close to each other. Vij in his annual confidential report has given 9.92 marks out of 10 to Khemka as the Principal Secretary of the Sports Department. Vij’s marks were flagged by Khattar and the CM gave him 9 marks. An unhappy Khemka had also approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court on this matter.
Vij in a statement to media had said that he had worked with more than 20 IAS officers in three years but no officer was as close to him as Khemka is. With the current transfer Khemka again will be working under Vij.
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