Meet Haryana's IAS Officer Ashok Khemka Who Was Transferred For 54th Time In 29 Years

This is the 54th transfer of the IAS office in his 29-year long career.

Khemka who was serving as Principal Secretary (archives, archaeology and museums), he has been now transferred as Principal Secretary, Haryana Science and Technology Department along with the Fisheries Department.

Khemka who is a 1991 batch IAS officer was transferred to Archives, Archaeology and Museums Department one year and 11 months back.

However, no reasons were cited behind his transfer, but sources said that the senior IAS officer has been actively raising his point of view on important issues especially related to protection of hilly areas.

According to officials, in a preliminary survey, a pre-historic site and rock shelters were discovered which are spread over a large area covering revenue estates Shilakari, Mangar, Kot, Dhauj and Nurpur Dhumsapur in Faridabad district and Damdama, Roj-Ka-Gujjar and Harchanpur in Gurgaon district.

Khemka had pointed out to the government that there are vested commercial interests in Roj-Ka-Gujjar and Kot and 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."