Rampant absenteeism reported at Directorate of Settlement and Land Records; Public left in the lurch

Citizens are increasingly frustrated as employees of the Directorate Office of Settlement and Land Records are repeatedly found absent from duty during official working hours, leaving essential public services unattended. The issue has sparked widespread concern at a time when every section of society is being urged to work harder and contribute double efforts for the state’s welfare.
Updated Jamabandi copies and ownership records maintained by the Office of Settlement and Land Records are vital for many services, including applying for new water supply connections, obtaining domicile certificates, and securing caste certificates. Any delay in issuing these documents directly hampers citizens who depend on them for basic administrative requirements.
Despite their importance, visitors to the Directorate office today around 12 noon were dismayed to find only one employee present in the entire Directorate office located at Lamphelpat. Nearly all rooms in the building were locked, although sources confirm that close to 100 employees are posted at the Directorate office.
According to eyewitness accounts, when individuals visited the Directorate office around 12 noon today, they were shocked to find that only one employee was available in the entire office.
Speaking to Imphal Times, one of the visitors revealed that they had also visited the same office last Friday to obtain Jamabandi copy. At that time, only two employees were present, and due to the absence of the concerned staff, they were forced to leave empty handed without securing the required copy.
Returning again today, they found only one employee available, once again forcing them to leave empty handed. “If the public can make the effort to reach the office again and again, why can’t the employees?” the visitor remarked.
As the road leading to the Directorate office was reported to have accumulated small pools of water due to waterlogging. Employees may attempt to justify their absence by citing these conditions. However, eyewitnesses pointed out that not even an inch of water had entered inside the office building. Moreover, if public could reach the premises despite the minor waterlogging, questions naturally arise as to why government employees themselves could not attend duty.
It may be recalled that the state government, in its effort to streamline administration, issued a General Administration Department (GAD) order on March 26, 2022, which reduced the number of working days from six to five per week but extended daily working hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The move was intended to boost productivity, ensure discipline, and improve delivery of public services. Following this, on April 6, 2022, the Director of the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records issued a specific order instructing all staff to attend office regularly and punctually within the revised hours. Furthermore, employees were directed to enroll themselves under a biometric attendance system to mark their presence in a transparent manner, with a clear warning that failure to comply would affect their salary.
However, the situation on the ground paints a very different picture. Despite repeated instructions, absenteeism appears to have become a recurring pattern in the Directorate, leaving citizens helpless and public services paralysed.
The issue has now triggered speculation on whether higher authorities, particularly the Governor of Manipur, will intervene and initiate disciplinary action against employees who are allegedly violating the government’s office timing rules.