Consumer Affairs Department withdraws office memorandum, says ambiguity in language

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Tuesday withdrew its office memorandum "intended to compile list of staff and officers who are not able to come for emergency duties for during lockdown period", saying there was ambiguity in language and it had created confusion.

In a clarification, the department said that office memorandum was intended to compile a list of staff for duty roster.

" An Office Memorandum dated April 13, 2020 issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs has created confusion and is being misquoted in the media. This OM was intended to compile list of staff and officers, who are not able to come for emergency duties for during lockdown period to maintain essential supplies either due to medical conditions or for any other valid reason (such as staying in hotspot areas) so that such persons are not deployed for such duties," it said.

"In view of ambiguity in the language of this OM, this is withdrawn forthwith," the department said.

The department said it would compile such information and use it while drawing up the roster duty of officers and staff during the lockdown period "so that no one is put to any hardship, while the work of the Department is carried out smoothly".