E-Paper
Himachal govt employees who left their stations during lockdown to be pulled up
Government directs heads of departments to submit list of employees who violated orders in three days; working of secretariat suffering due to non-availability of employees
The working of the Himachal Pradesh government has been hampered due to the non-availability of government employees, many of whom chose to travel to their native villages in violation of the government’s orders amid the coronavirus crisis.
Observing that a majority of government employees had gone to their villages during the curfew imposed on March 24, the department of personnel has sought the list of state secretariat employees who had left their stations in violation of lockdown orders.
A memorandum to this effect has been issued by the department of personnel. HP secretariat branch officers have been asked to provide a list of employees under them who have left Shimla within three days.
In an order issued on March 23, the department had directed the offices to take preventive, precautionary and pre-emptive measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Under the order, most of the state government offices were closed and employees were told to stay home but be available on phone or by other means of communication and to attend the office in case of an exigency.
“It has come to the notice of the government that the officers have left the station, which is a clear violation of government orders, this is being viewed as a serious breach by the higher authorities,” says the office memorandum.
In addition, branch officers have also been told to provide details of employees who came to Shimla during the lockdown period from areas identified as hotspots, clusters or containment zones. Such employees have been asked to inform the health department and go into quarantine.
OPPOSITION FLAYS GOVT FOR ALLOWING INTERSTATE MOVEMENT OF VIPS
Opposition leader Mukesh Agnihotri has flayed the government for allowing interstate and interdistrict movement of VIPs.
The government was criticised for allowing Mandi Lok Sabha member Ram Swaroop Sharma to travel from Delhi to HP during the lockdown.
Defending Sharma, Jai Ram Thakur said the politician had permission from the Mandi deputy commissioner.
The opposition also demanded that the government arrange transportation for students stranded in different parts of the country.
Agnihotri demanded the transfer of ₹1,000 crore earmarked for construction and expansion of airports. The ppposition also demanded that the government ban purchase of vehicles for at least two years.
CONCESSIONS TO POWER CONSUMERS
The state government has decided to provide concessions to industrial and commercial consumers, including the tourism sector, agriculture and other consumers in the state due to the lockdown.
CM Jai Ram Thakur said the payment of electricity bills for month of February and March has been extended up to April 30, without levying of late payment surcharge.
He said the bills of April will be due for payment in May and will be payable up to May 31, without any late payment surcharge. He said that payment of demand charges in respect of industrial, commercial and agriculture consumers for April and May has been deferred till June 30.
The charges will be recovered in three equal instalments during the months of July, August and September.
Thakur said a rebate of 1% up to ₹10,000 will be available to industrial, commercial and agriculture consumers.
He said the state electricity board will ensure continuity of power supply to all consumers and no disconnection will be made till May 31 due to non-recovery of electricity bills and late payment surcharge.
