Gujarat govt finally finds a fall guy, transfers Kutch Collector

AHMEDABAD, FEBRUARY 3: The Gujarat government has transferred Kutch district collector Kamal Dayani to the Industries Department as deputy secretary and brought Vadodara collector Anil Mukim in his place. Minister of state for home Haren Pandya said Dayani was transferred on personal grounds. “His house had got damaged and some of his family members also were injured in the earthquake,” Pandya said on Saturday.

Dayani was in the eye of the storm in the wake of allegations of inadequate relief operations. Pandya denied the transfer had anything to do with poor relief disbursal. However, Dayani having written to the government about pilferage and diversion of relief material by army personnel (as reported in The Indian Express) is believed to be one of the reasons behind his transfer.

News from the Epicentre

» Full coverage of the Gujarat earthquake
» Donate online for relief

The Government also decided to depute S. Jagdeesan, IAS to assist principal secretary L. Mansingh to oversee operations in Kutch. Jagdeesan, who is on deputation at the Central Government, has been deployed for relief operations. Mansingh has been appointed chief coordinator of relief and rescue operations in Kutch.