In a big goof up which puts up a question mark over the functioning of country’s premier institute involved in research in the field of defence, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an official posted as Estate Manager in Dehradun has been transferred to a position which doesn’t even exits. In an order dated April 27, the directorate of personnel, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi transferred Estate Manager, Maintenance, Dehradun, D P Singh to Project office, Dehradun along with 12 other officials. As per the order his place in Dehradun would be taken over by the Estate Manager, Hyderabad, William Paul. The transfer order bears signature of personnel director Gopal Bhushan.

The order clearly states that the transfers would be applicable from May 1 and the transferred personnel should take new charge assigned to them within 30 days of the issue of the order. The order has however created a piquant situation in Dehradun as there is no project office here as depicted in the order. When contacted the Director ITM,(DRDO) Sanjay Tandon said, “ The order has come from headquarters so one should inquire about it from there only. It could be a typographical error or there could be a plan to set up new office here.”

It is pertinent to mention here that D P Singh has been working on the post of Estate Manager from last 12 years. He was looking after the task of appointment of contract workers in all three institutes of DRDO in Dehradun, the Defence Electronic Application laboratory (DEAl), Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) and Institute of Technology Management (IMT).

The transfer of D P Singh was long overdue and the way he was transferred from one office in Dehradun to another nonexistent office in Dehradun only has raised many an eyebrow in all three offices of DRDO located here.