Sopore, Nov 14 (KNO): In a bizarre incident, government employees were found operating street vending stalls in north Kashmir’s Sopore during duty hours, following which the administration ordered withholding their salaries. An action report has also been sought from the relevant heads.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the incident came to the fore when the enforcement team was asked by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sopore, SA Raina to streamline the vendors in the busiest Sopore market so that the commuters do not feel any kind of inconvenience. The team was led by SHO Sopore.
Following the act, two government employees were found operating the vending stalls during their duty hours. Subsequently, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Sopore, SA Raina directed the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) to withhold the salaries of the involved employees for the month of November. He also sought action reports from the concerned heads.
“The Block Veterinary Officer and the Executive Engineer shall explain the position and submit the action taken report,” an official quoting ADC Sopore told KNO, adding, “The erring government employees were identified as Javaid Ahmed Sheikh of Panzulla Rafiabad and Nazir Ahmed Changa of Noor Bagh. Javaid is posted in Irrigation and Flood Control (I & FC) department while Nazir is in Animal Husbandry (Veterinary) department.”
Meanwhile, the ADC said that the steps are being taken by the administration to ensure punctuality in government offices. “These drives shall continue in the future as well,” he said, adding that such dereliction of duties was witnessed in the past as well and was followed by strict action and salary deduction.
The official further said that similar inspections were carried out in various government offices across Sopore, wherein several employees were found absent. This is seriously looked upon by the administration, and the concerned DDOs have been directed to deduct the salaries of such officials and credit the amount into the account of the district Red Cross fund.
He said the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Municipal Council Sopore, Tehsildar and the SHO were directed to conduct such checks regularly to ensure convenience for commuters.
“The CEO MC shall also ensure that only those vendors would be allowed to install their stalls in the Sopore market which are registered at the municipality office,” the official added—(KNO)