Maha health officials told to remain in offices in work hours

In a bid to effectively tackle monsoon-related calamities and discipline truant officials, the Maharashtra government has made it mandatory for Health department officials to remain in offices during work hours.

In a Government Resolution (GR) issued today, the Public Health department stated that the officials cannot step out of their offices without prior approval from seniors.

Officers and employees also cannot go on foreign tours without approval from their seniors, it said.

The government said many officers and employees in regional offices do not remain present in their respective offices during work hours and neither do they take any prior approval from their seniors for remaining out of office.

Citing Maharashtra Civil Services (Behaviour) Rules, 1979, the government pointed out that every government officer has to maintain highest professional integrity and should not misbehave.

"Before going on foreign trips or outdoor visits, it is mandatory for the officers to take prior permission from their seniors.

"Of late, there is increase in number of complaints being received about officers skipping meetings called by ministers and senior officers without giving any valid reasons," it added.

The department has directed all its deputy directors and district health officers to submit information about all such officers who without any prior intimation do not stay at their respective regional headquarters.

The department states that the officers should first be given strict warning about staying at the district headquarters and report it to the government.

"If the officers still do remain absent from their place of work or leave their offices without prior permission then names of such officers should be submitted to the seniors for dismissal, suspension or disciplinary action," the GR stated.

After receipt of the report, disciplinary action should be initiated against the named officers within a month.

The GR further states that if the senior officers fail to take any action against officers charged with dereliction of duty, then the senior officers shall be held responsible.

"Senior officers shall have to ensure that their subordinate officers do not remain absent from their offices during office hours without prior permission and will not leave the district headquarters and proceed on foreign trips or go on any personal visits," as per the GR.