My phone call at 9.35 am on Thursday gave me the shock of my life. I got the response, "Madam, you did not turn up as per the commitment on 9.30. After 9.35 your time would be over." I wondered if I was talking to an Army General or a district magistrate. A small communication gap on the meeting time had made me listen to this unexpected response. But after I met and talked to the man, my opinion about him changed.
Harbans Singh Chugh, the DM of Haridwar, is not new to the district, as he had previously worked as the vice- chairman of Haridwar- Roorkee Development Authority (HRDA). Academically, he is a postgraduate in Agro Economics. He was allotted IAS cadre in 2003. Some excerpts from the interview:
What are your priorities as a DM of the districtIJ
As a representative of the Government, naturally my priorities line up with the policies of the Government. To maintain law and order is the utmost priority, but Haridwar being the holy city and the city of fairs and fests imposes certain other duties which often tend to override these priorities. In January next year, Ardh Kumbh Mela 2016 is commencing. By the end of December this year, Panchayat elections have to be completed. These things push the main priorities a little farther. Time- bound activities are to be taken on priority basis.
Your take on illegal mining, any special measures to curb itIJ
Mining is another important issue in Haridwar which takes most of my time. On an average, 70 to 80 complaints are lodged daily in my office related to mining. It demands lot of energy to tackle each of them. Revenue collection is a prioritized task and it takes a major portion of my time. It is a big challenge too. However strict we may be, the illegalities persist and we have to be on our toes to check them. We keep on taking exemplary actions. Soon after I joined, my team sealed off four stone crushers and lodged FIRs against them. They are still sealed as they have not responded to our show- cause notices.
Broadening work of National Highway has been delayed too much which is causing hell of problems to the commuters.
The highway is, of course, the life- line of the district. The delay is because of some hurdles in giving compensation to the farmers from whom the land was acquired. Unfortunately, my predecessors have settled multiple rates of compensation for the same villages which is causing the delay. Reviewing the rates is not my prerogative. Rather, the farmers are my priority. However, I have to take action within the legal ambit.
Did your earlier assignment as the vice-chairman of HRDA help you getting the feel of the districtIJ
Yes, I was acquainted with the geography of the district before accepting this office as the DM and also with the nature of problems prevailing here. But the scope of the earlier post was narrow and I did not have much exposure with every section of the society which thankfully I am having now. My area of work is much vaster now.
The issue of Gyan Godri Gurudwara at Har Ki Pauri has been pending since long. Every year, on Kartik Purnima, some agitations happen…
I would definitely like to resolve the matter. But it would take time. I would try to ensure that a consensus evolves to have the tangle solved.
Regarding Ardh Kumbh Mela which is approaching…
I am for formulating a long-term planning rather than setting short- term goals regarding fairs of the stature of Kumbh. The town is continuously developing. So we must chalk out a long-term, clear- cut master plan and do the construction works on a permanent basis rather than on a temporary one. The floating population in Haridwar being much more than the resident population, the development process should be continual.
What is your methodology of workIJ How do you manage time for multiple tasksIJ
Since the time of my graduation from Pant Nagar University in 1978, I have been aware of the value of time. If the lecture was scheduled at 11 am we were not allowed to enter the class after 10.55 and were marked absent. The same philosophy of time I have been following in my life and career. As far as my subordinates are concerned, I adhere to time strictly. However, with the seniors, one has to adjust as we know.