There has not been any improvement in the work culture of the Government offices based in Pauri district despite the District administration having asked all to be punctual and also to refrain from doing anything which can be construed as affecting the work culture adversely.
However, the warning seems to have come to no avail as those working in the Government offices continue to stick to their old habit of turning up and leaving at their own sweet will while caring a little for the timing fixed by the government.
Observers say that the sorry state of things continue in the State even seven months after the new Government was saddled in the seat of power.
“This makes it clear that the Governments may come and go, but the Government employees would not cease flouting the Government rules with impunity,” rues one of the observers.
Notably, the District Magistrate Pauri had taken some drastic actions to improve the work culture. He himself had embarked on a string of unannounced inspections to see for himself how things were going on in the offices and the schools. Other senior officers also followed suit, triggering hope that stringent actions to be taken would help things improve.
During such unannounced inspections of offices in several places like Kotdwar, Srinagar, Pauri and lansdowne on Wednesday, the sub-divisional magistrates were shocked to find that a number of officers/employees was absent.
SDM Kotdwar Rakesh Tiwari found during such an inspection in Dugadda that the child development project officer Jitendra Kumar along with several officers was absent.
The experience of SDM Pauri was no better as he saw the same picture. Things were the worst at the community health centre at Kotdwar where as many as 10 employees were found absent.
However, the situation was a bit better at the veterinary hospital in Kotdwar where three employees were found absent.
SDM lansdowne, Sohan Singh Saini found that several employees were absent during such an unannounced inspection of the government offices there.
District magistrate Sushil Kumar said that the directorate of the departments concerned would be asked to take action against the absentees. He also said some senior officers would be suspended soon for failing to turn up at the offices in time.