Fire & Emergency Services, Prisons deptts virtually headless, DGP still holds addl charge

Srinagar : With Dilbagh Singh occupying the highest position of Director General Police for the last about three months, the Fire & Emergency services and Prisons departments have been almost rendered headless with DGP holding the additional charge of both the key departments even after his regular appointment as Director General Police by the Jammu and Kashmir government recently. V K Singh is set to take the charge as Director Fire Services from 1st January next year but government is yet to start a hunt for the appointment of new Director General Prisons.
Quoting sources local news gathering agency KNS reported that Director General Police Dilbagh Singh already overburdened with the responsibilities of law & order and security throwing up a huge challenge to him, is still holding the additional charge as Director Fire & Emergency services and Prisons departments.
Sources said that this time when the recruitment drive for constables in the fire & emergency department is in final stage, the department should have a full-fledged Director for close supervision of the recruitment process. Sources also said that keeping in view the possibilities of an unprecedented increase in the fire incidents during winter in Kashmir valley, the department of Fire & Emergency services could be more promptly looked after by a full-fledged director.
Sources said that keeping in view the sensitivities of the Prisons department in Jammu and Kashmir State the charge of prisons department presently held by Dilbagh Singh should have been also given to any officer of DGP rank independently.
A top government official on conditions of anonymity said that V K Singh has to take over the charge as Director Fire Services from 1st January 2019, the order for which has been already issued by the government but nothing can be said about the appointment of new Director General Prisons to relieve Dilbagh Singh of the additional charge at this point of time.