IT News
Imphal, Feb 28:
At a time when government employees across the state are expected to work diligently to meet public demands, reports of officials neglecting their duties continue to surface.
In a case of alleged negligence, the Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Transmission Division-I, Manipur State Power Company Limited (MSPCL), was found absent from the office during working hours. Over the past two months, Imphal Times journalist visited the MSPCL TD-I office two three times to meet the DGM to collect information regarding the relocation of an electric tower and other work undertaken by MSPCL at the Lamphel Water Project rejuvenation site amidst the frequent unofficial load shedding in Imphal area. However, on all three occasions, the official was unavailable.
When asked about the DGM’s absence, an employee stated that he only attends the office when called for meetings or to sign documents. The staff further claimed that the DGM visits work sites daily for conducting site inspections.
The explanation provided by the staff appears questionable, as the DGM’s primary role is administrative rather than field-oriented. While occasional site visits are expected, routine inspections are typically carried out by junior engineers such as Assistant Engineers (AEs) and Section Officers (SOs) within the division.
However, when Imphal Times journalist visited the site where the DGM was supposedly conducting daily inspections, he was not present there either. This raises concerns about his actual work engagement.
Authorities have reiterated that negligence in duty will not be tolerated and that strict action will be taken against employees who fail to fulfill their responsibilities. It is also important to note that the government implemented revised office hours effective April 1, 2022. According to these regulations, office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during summer (March to October) and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during winter (November to February).
