Jammu: Ten senior officers among thirty eight government employees were found absent from their duties in Mandi tehsil headquarter area of Poonch district on Thursday after which Deputy Commissioner of Poonch ordered to withhold the salaries of all officers found absent.
The DC Poonch also called for an explanation from the officials who were not present at their offices. Officials said that the inspection was conducted in the backdrop of public complaints about “officials remaining absent from duties” in government offices of Mandi tehsil in Poonch. They said that taking serious note of the complaints, a surprise inspection was conducted and poor punctuality in terms of presence of employees came to fore.
“Among the absent employees, ten are senior officers who include Zonal Education Officer of Mandi education zone, two junior agriculture extension officers posted in agriculture department office of Mandi, horticulture development officer of department in Mandi, tehsil supply officer of entire Mandi tehsil, assistant executive engineers of both power development department and public works department and three lecturers posted in boys higher secondary school of Mandi tehsil headquarter,” the officials said.
They said that in the overall inspection, highest number of employees was found absent in child development programme officer where ten employees were absent followed by tehsil office Mandi and agriculture department office Mandi where seven employees each were found absent from duty.
“Similarly, ZEO and DEO among two employees of zonal education office Mandi, section officer among four employees of block development office Mandi, one employee of horticulture office, AEEs of PWD and PDD offices, TSO of FCS&CA office and three lectures of boys higher secondary school Mandi were found absent,” the officials said. They said that DC Poonch has ordered withholding salaries of all the absentees and have served them explanation notices