Hyderabad: Appointment of IAS officer in charge of CWC opposed

The association stressed that this practice is essential for maintaining the Commission’s role as a strong technical organization.

Hyderabad: The Central Water and Power Engineering Services Association (CWPESA) has formally requested the reconsideration of a recent appointment order that has sparked concern among its members. In a letter addressed to the Minister for Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), the association highlighted sentiments of discontent among officers regarding the additional charge of the post of Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC), being given to an officer from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

At the core of this issue is the long-standing tradition and Government of India resolutions dating back to 1945, which state that the Chairman of the CWC should be a fully qualified engineer from the Central Water Engineering Service (CWES). The association stressed that this practice is essential for maintaining the Commission’s role as a strong technical organization.

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The letter, signed by Rishika Sharan, Vice President of CWPESA, emphasized that the senior-most CWES officer’s suitability for the position has been vetted through a departmental promotion committee and is awaiting approval from the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

The CWPESA’s emergency general body meeting held on September 29, 2024, resulted in a resolution urging the DoWR, RD & GR to reassign the additional charge to the most senior CWES officer. The officers of the CWES and the broader civil services community now await the government’s decision, hopeful for a resolution that honors the technical integrity of the Central Water Commission and its storied legacy of engineering excellence.