21 December,2010 06:44 AM IST | | Vinod Kumar Menon
MiD DAY's RTI response reveals some employees in the seat of power have not reported to work for even a single day in two years; departmental inquiries are still pending
IT pays to be a government servant. For, where else would you not be sacked if you did not report to duty for even one day in almost two years?
That, unfortunately, is the state of affairs in Mantralaya where action is still pending against such employees, as was revealed in the Law and Judiciary department's reply to an RTI by MiD DAY.
The MiD DAY report on November 24
However, despite filing the RTI application on absenteeism in Mantralaya almost a month back, the 34 other departments have not replied to it at all.
The RTI was sent to the Public Information Officer, General Administration Department (GAD), on November 25, 2010.
It sought information on Mantralaya staffers who remained away from duty and the action that was taken against them by the government.
On December 6, S B Dalvi, information officer from the Law and Judiciary department, replied to the RTI and stated that 5 out of the 300-plus employees in the department have been irregular at work and have not been reporting to duty for more than 18 months. Here are the stars:
Sanjay Sudam Gangurde
Description: Employed as a desk officer with the Law and Judiciary department for the last 20 years, Gangurde, a Virar resident, has not been reporting to work since January 2009.u00a0
Number of offs: Out of 309 working days in 2009 and 271 working days in 2010, Gangurde has not reported to work on a single day.
Reason: This reporter visited Gangurde's residence and was told by an elderly lady that Gangurde was plagued by a personal problem, which was amplified by his brother's death last year. Gangurde's colleagues confirmed this.
Departmental action: Enquiries by MiD DAY revealed that Gangurde was paid his salary till May 2009. His monthly salary of approximately Rs 21,000 has been deposited to the government treasury since then and a departmental inquiry is pending against him.
P V Gite
Description: Gite works as an assistant in the Law and Judiciary department
Number of offs: In 2009, Gite was off duty for 306 days and worked for only 3 days. In 2010, he has been present for 93 days, absent for 142 and has taken 46 leaves.
Reason: In his explanation, Gite said that he was on election duty in 2009 and was hospitalised after contracting viral fever in 2010.
Departmental action: Gite's superiors have put his explanation before the disciplinary committee and necessary action will be taken if he fails to convince the committee with documentary evidence.
Sneha Anilkumar Sonawane
Description: A Kurla resident and a clerk in the same department, Sonawane has also been very irregular in reporting to work.
Number of offs: In 2009, she reported to work on 93 days, remained absent for 142 and her offs were adjusted as leave 46 times. Her performance worsened in 2010, when she reported to work for only 6 days and remained absent for 303.
Reason: Sonawane's office colleagues revealed that she had some personal problems and was finding it difficult to take care of her mentally-challenged child, who needs round-the-clock attention.
Departmental action: Inquiries conducted by
MiD DAY revealed that Sneha was paid her salary till June 2009. A departmental inquiry is pending against her.
Satish Tapase and Prakash Aher
These clerk-cum-typists remained absent for the bulk of 2009 and 2010. Departmental inquiries have been initiated against them and their salaries have been withheld.
Study in Contrasts
On November 24 ('Meet Mantralaya's Mr Hard Working'), MiD DAY had reported about Milind Damodar Choudhary, a u00a0bill accountant in the u00a0General Administration Department, who has put in the most working hours among all employees in the last one-and-a-half years.
Choudhary, a commerce graduate from Thane, spends around 10 to 12 hours everyday, including on weekends, at Mantralaya.
