RTI reply: Even class IV staff illegally live in official residences
31 Jul, 2013
The reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 has revealed that illegal occupation of government residences in Lucknow is not confined to the senior level officers only; even the junior government staff and class IV employees are occupying government housing units illegally.
The reply to the application reveals that there are at least twelve junior level government servants, who have ignored the court orders to evict the premises they have been living in illegally. The reply shows that there are three constables who have been in illegal occupation of government residences and against whom cases have been filed. A sweeper in the state estate department is also occupying his official residence despite expiry of his services.
In two cases, the families of the deceased class IV government servants are still in occupation of the government housing. The reply also shows cases where the allotment of the official residences has been cancelled but the staff hasn't vacated the premises. In two cases, the allotments to the class IV employees were cancelled because of illegal construction but despite lodging the case and issuance of orders to vacate the premises, the occupants have not moved.
Such rampant illegal occupation of government quarters at all levels in the country raises the question as to whether the handling of the property needs some drastic measures.