Neelabh Saxena, a 2015-batch IAS officer serving as the Collector of Karauli, Rajasthan, is now embroiled in controversy after it emerged he was vacationing in Kashmir instead of addressing the acute heatwave and water crisis gripping his district. Saxena, who had been granted leave to travel to his hometown Lucknow, was caught off guard during a virtual review meeting when he admitted to being in Kashmir.
Rajasthan Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant, chairing the video conference, expressed visible displeasure, questioning Saxena’s administrative judgment.
“Had we known you were going to Kashmir, your leave could have been cancelled,” Pant reportedly told him, adding that citizens in Karauli are “troubled by heat, lack of electricity and water,” while Saxena “chose to vacation in a cool climate.”
Public Discontent and Official Rebuke
The revelation has sparked anger among both senior officials and the public, as the region reels under record-breaking heat. According to reports, officials were expecting Saxena to help coordinate local relief efforts for power outages and severe water shortages in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts. The timing of his vacation, coinciding with a worsening crisis, has been widely criticized as tone-deaf and irresponsible.
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While Saxena claimed personal urgency for his travel, his deviation from the approved itinerary may be viewed as a breach of service conduct. The Chief Secretary’s open reprimand during the meeting has only intensified the spotlight on Saxena’s actions.
Disciplinary Action on the Horizon
Despite Saxena’s previously clean record—he ranked 12th in the 2014 UPSC Civil Services Examination—the current episode threatens to blemish his reputation. With the Rajasthan government taking a strict view of administrative lapses during public emergencies, sources suggest that disciplinary proceedings are likely. Senior officials have indicated that the issue is being “reviewed seriously” and action may be “inevitable.”