Ashok Khemka, a senior IAS official, was transferred again by the Haryana government on Friday. He has been promoted as Principal Secretary, Haryana Science and Technology Department, from his existing position of Principal Secretary (archives, archaeology, and museums). He will be in charge of the Fisheries Department as well. This is his 54th move in his 29-year tenure in the federal service.
Khemka, an IAS officer from the 1991 batch, was moved to the Department of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums one year and 11 months ago. The administration has not said why Khemka was transferred, although it is understood that he has been aggressively advocating for vital concerns, particularly the protection of hilly areas.
According to authorities, a prehistoric site and rock shelters were uncovered during a preliminary inspection, which spans revenue estates Shilakari, Mangar, Kot, Dhauj, and Nurpur Dhumsapur in Faridabad district, and Damdama, Roj-Ka-Gujjar, and Harchanpur in Gurgaon district.
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Khemka had pointed out to the administration that there are entrenched economic interests in Roj-Ka-Gujjar and Kot, as well as mining interests in Damdama, Dhauj, and Shilakari. Khemka had stated: ‘If hills, forests, areas under Aravalli plantations and areas notified under section 4,5 of the PLPA Act in the above revenue estates are not allowed to be included in the notification under section 4, then private commercial/ mining interests will trump over the large public interest to protect the natural environment of the pre-historic site and rock shelters. commercial interests will ultimately destroy the Aravallis and the National Capital Region.’
To preserve the ancient heritage and ecological security, Khemka proposed that the government prohibit mining and building operations in the Aravalli ‘gair mumkin pahar’ (uncultivable mountainous parts) hill area containing the 8 revenue estates in the Regional Plan 2041.
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