GAIL reverses contentious transfer order
GAIL has reversed a contentious order that gave CGM construction L Arumugam powers to replace arrested ED projects, KB Singh.
As we reported on September 21 (2023), the GAIL Officers Association (GOA) emailed chairman SK Gupta on September 13 (2023), protesting a September 11 (2023) office order directing Bangalore-based Arumugam to step into the ED projects role vacated by Singh after his CBI arrest on September 5 (2023). However, late in the evening of September 21 (2023), GAIL scrapped the order, which the GOA felt reflected "failing moral, ethical and competence standards" within the HR department.
In the September 21 order, CGM human resources DK Jain says that Arumugam, "earlier designated as CGM projects in-charge through the office order dated September 11 (2023), is hereby re-designated as CGM construction with immediate effect." Jain's order adds that ED operations and maintenance (at GAIL's corporate office) Atul Kumar Tripathi would "with immediate effect" become ED projects overseeing "all project execution related activities."
All GAIL executives asked to report to Arumugam for project execution "will report to Atul Kumar Tripathi for all assignments." Further, Tripathi will be the 'First Appellate Authority' for all grievances related to the project department under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
With over 30 EDs at GAIL, the GOA argued there was no need to elevate a CGM. A GAIL source welcomes the management's decision to give Tripathi the job of overseeing the crucial projects department.
"Giving a CGM (Arumugam) the powers of an ED was uncalled for and a matter of concern," he says. "Tripathi is very methodical, has new ideas and takes everybody along with him."
Tripathi was a strong contender for the GAIL director business development role during the interviews on September 20 (2023) won by Rajeev Singhal.