Top babu quits department after tiff with minister

Additiol Chief Secretary TY Das was allegedly made to do work that undermines her status and post

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Oct 9: Following months of confrontation with minister Chandan Sarkar, Additiol Chief Secretary TY Das has been released from the Irrigation department after she made a request to the Chief Secretary citing the "constraints" she was facing in "working harmoniously" with the minister.

Das, who was on deputation outside the State, had joined as the Additiol Chief Secretary on July 13 last. She was given responsibility of the PWD and Irrigation department.

However, sources in the department said she had been in loggerheads with Irrigation minister Chandan Sarkar from day one. She was allegedly asked by the minister to do "certain works that undermines her post and status." Due to this, there were frequent face-offs between Das and Sarkar.

The confrontation between the senior bureaucrat and the minister had become the talk of the department and the secretariat.

Fed up with the minister's "bullying", Das wrote to the Chief Secretary to relieve her from the Irrigation department.

"I would like to inform you that I have been facing some constraints and problems in working harmoniously with the honorable minister for Irrigation. Possible the problem is mutual. I would, therefore, like to request you to kindly relieve me from the responsibility of Additiol Chief Secretary, Irrigation," Das wrote in the letter to the Chief Secretary, without elaborating on the conflict.

A day later, she was relieved from the department.

Das, an IAS officer of the 1982 batch, however, continues to hold the post of Additiol Chief Secretary PWD(R) and PWD (NH&B).

The Sentinel tried to contact minister Chandan Sarkar for his comment. But he did not respond to the calls.

Sarkar was inducted as a minister in January this year.