AK Verma, a senior Central Public Works Department (CPWD) official, finally paid the price for being absent from duty for over 24 years.

Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday sacked Verma, Executive Engineer (Electrical), CPWD, for unauthorised absence from duty, a statement issued by the Ministry said.

Naidu’s decision came after the inquiry set up in the matter proved the charge of wilful absence from duty against Verma.

“Verma had joined CPWD as an Assistant Executive Engineer in 1980, went on earned leave in December 1990, and did not report to work thereafter. He went on seeking extension of leave, which was not sanctioned, and defied directions to report to work,” the statement added.

Long process An inquiry was instituted in September 1992, but due to his non-cooperation and some other reasons, it got delayed and a fresh chargesheet was issued in 2005. The inquiry report establishing the charges was submitted in July 2007 and it was accepted by the then minister of urban development in August 2007. But no further action was taken in the matter at the time, the statement added.

Last September, the minister had pulled up the CPWD as around 400 projects were running behind schedule because of pending approvals from local bodies, delays in handing over project sites, delays in release of funds by clients, pending environmental and forest clearances as well as internal administrative reasons.

The functioning of the department came in for a critical review at a two-day brainstorming session last year, where the top brass of the urban development ministry and CPWD as well as 75 Chief Engineers of the CPWD from across the country participated.

Immediately after taking charge in May, Naidu had started making surprise checks in Nirman Bhawan and taken action against latecomers.

A biometric attendance system was also introduced to instil discipline among department officers.

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