Dimapur, July 6: It happens only in Nagaland: A government employee who hasn’t joined work for more than 10 consecutive months. And of course, the employee, reported to be of the name Thsipong, a head assistant, has been found drawing salary too, according to teachers.
And, naturally, teachers in Mangkolemba, under Mokokchung district, are feeling more than unhappy.
The director of School Education has been asked by a local unit of the All Nagaland School Teachers Association in Mokokchung to ‘immediately’ depute a head assistant to the sub division education officer of Mangkolemba.
The ANSTA unit complained that one head assistant that was deputed to the establishment had not joined till date. The unit issued a press release on Wednesday demanding redress.
The press release stated: “…on behalf of the ANSTA sub-unit Mangkolemba, would like to bring to your notice the crisis that is occurring in the office of the Sub Divisional Education Officer (SDEO), Mangkolemba owing to the utter disregard and disobedience of government order by one staff, Shri. Thsipong, Head Assistant (HA), and not joining office/duty till date. It is to be noted that his order for attachment in District Education Officer (DEO) office, Kiphire was cancelled on 23 May 2016.”
“However, after a lapse of one and half month, Shri. Thsipong, HA is still to submit even his joining report in the SDEO office, Mangkolemba.”
This, the organization stated, is “a clear and audacious display of arrogance, disrespect and unprofessional attitude toward the education department and the government.”
The organization explained that said employee was transferred on promotion to the SDEO office of Mangkolemba on June 1 after signing an undertaking “wherein Shri. Thsipong, HA has promised not to apply for transfer for three years. He submitted his joining report in SDEO office Mangkolemba on 5 June 2016 but did not attend office even a single day to till his order for attachment in DEO office Kiphire was issued on 29 February 2016.”
The ANSTA of Mangkolemba expressed shock that a government employee can stay away from work for more than 10 consecutive months.
‘The ANSTA is astounded as to how a government employee could stay away from duty for more than 10 consecutive months. Moreover, it is a mystery from where Shri. Thsipong, HA was drawing his salary for those 10 absent months. Hence, we appeal the director of School Education to give us the answer,’ the association alleged.
The association has demanded that the director of School Education take disciplinary action against the said head assistant. Failure to initiate action against him will “let to (sic) many such problems in future too,” the association added.
