Chandigarh: In Haryana, they’ll do anything for a job in the state police. Even climb Mount Everest. Or just fake it.
But scaling the world’s tallest mountain is not working anymore, thanks to a defunct state government policy that has been plagued by allegations of corruption, arbitrariness and manipulation.
A 2013 decision of the Haryana government to give cash rewards to sportspersons who successfully scaled the Everest was withdrawn in 2015. But many who reached the mountain top were not only given cash rewards but jobs in Haryana police department too.
If for some, appointments were made following orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, special supernumerary posts were created for others.
Climbing the Everest soon became a way of getting a government job. Not surprising then, that attempts have also been made to fake they have made it to the roof of the world.
Earlier this week, the Nepal government initiated an inquiry against three climbers from Haryana following allegations that they had “faked” their climb. The three – Vikas Rana, Shobha Banwala and Ankush Kasana – had returned to a rousing welcome in the state only to be asked later to furnish documentary proof of having scaled the mountain.
Also read: At one point I thought I would die, says Mumbai man who survived Everest ‘traffic jam’
How did it all begin?
In 2010, a jubilant Mamta Sodha, then 29-year-old, had returned home after scaling the Everest. Then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda soon rewarded her with Rs 21 lakh and the coveted position of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in the state. There was no official provision to approve of any of these rewards at the time.
Prompted by Hooda’s generosity, a host of youngsters soon made a dash for the summit in 2011. Seven managed to scale the top successfully that year. In 2012, one person achieved this difficult feat and in 2013, six others climbed the world’s tallest mountain. But without an official policy in place, rewards to these climbers were arbitrary.
“It was a random pick-and-choose method after Sodha’s case. Those with strong political connections got benefits while others had to move court,” said advocate K.S. Banyana, who had represented climber Sunita Choken in the high court in 2016. She had climbed the Everest in 2011 and was finally offered a job last year.
Amending sports policy
Witnessing a sudden rush to summit the Mount Everest after Sodha’s appointment in the police department, the state government in 2013 decided to change existing sports rules.
In May 2013, the council of ministers in Hooda’s cabinet amended the 2009 sports policy to give a one-time cash award of Rs 5 lakh to sportspersons who has climbed the peak since 2005.
They should, however, not be government employees or rewarded earlier with a government job. Cash rewards were subsequently offered to 10 eligible climbers following this decision.
Also read: Trail to Everest is littered with bodies. But no one will say who is actually responsible
Random employments
Despite a 2014 order of the state govt that no jobs will be given to those who climb the Mount Everest, the same year three women constables of the Haryana Police who had climbed the peak were re-employed as sub-inspectors (SI) – another random move implemented by the Hooda administration.
However, another woman constable who had successfully climbed the Everest in 2012 was not made an SI.
“We were told that a lot of corruption has seeped into the sports department. If one wanted to reap the same benefits as those given to Sodha, she or he will have to go the court, pay heavy fee to lawyers, or bribe the right people to get a government job,” said a climber, who requested anonymity.
The worst, however, was yet to come.
In the new sports policy of May 2015, this provision of giving Rs 5 lakh cash award was also done away with and there was no mention whatsoever of mountaineering in the new policy.
Seeking help from the high court
In 2015, four climbers had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for a reward similar to that which was offered to Sodha in 2010. Another six climbers subsequently moved the court with a similar plea in 2016. Four other petitions of 2017 and 2018 were also given to the court. Some of them are still pending.
Ram Lal, who at 24 was the youngest person from Haryana to have scaled the peak in 2013, was the first to get relief from the high court in February 2016. The government appointed him as an SI in September 2016.
Also read: Liquor bottles & food cans among 11,000 kg of trash found on Mt Everest
Made SI, climbers wanted to be DSP
Following Lal’s appointment, three other climbers got relief from the court and were appointed as SIs in 2017 and 2018. They were also given Rs 21 lakh as cash reward.
Several others who were made SIs later had again petitioned to be promoted as DSPs.
“There was never any provision of giving jobs to mountaineers under any sports policy of the state. The reward to Sodha was a one-off thing. The other government jobs were offered following orders of the high court. I am not aware of any woman climber getting a job in the police department without the court’s order,” said Alok Verma, sports in-charge in Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s office.
Mountaineering not sport
After the high court’s directions to offer Choken a job last year, the state government again decided to streamline the policy for mountaineers. In June 2018, after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Khattar, it was decided that mountaineers who scaled the Everest will be given a cash award of Rs 5 lakh along with a grade C sports gradation certificate (making them eligible for a class III government job within the sports quota).
The sports department was subsequently asked to frame a policy. While preparing a memo for the council of ministers, the then sports secretary Ashok Khemka however pointed out that mountaineering was not a competitive sport and should not be treated like one.
He also added how discussions with several renowned Everest climbers have revealed that climbing the peak was no longer a test of human endurance, since it has become a venture driven mainly by the sherpas now. Therefore, Khemka suggested that benefits should also be extended to those climbing more difficult peaks such as Mount Annapurna, K2 and Kanchenjunga.
Decision still pending
The cabinet memorandum of February 2019 sought to know if those who had gone to court be given a cash award of Rs 21 lakh and the job of an SI. While no decision has yet been taken on the cabinet note, some changes have been made in the state sports policy. A fresh proposal has been put forward.
“The fresh proposal encourages mountain climbing in the state. It is awaiting the nod of the cabinet,” says Principal Secretary, Sports, Anand Mohan Sharan.