Assam Govt. offices reopen; employees wear masks, maintain distance to prevent COVID-19

Those stranded in other districts to be exempted from attending duties till May 3

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government’s offices including the secretariat on Tuesday reopened after 27 days due to the ongoing nation-wide lockdown.

The offices were reopened after the government on Monday made certain relaxation of the lockdown rules to ensure smooth delivery of public services. While ASTC buses ferried majority of the State Secretariat employees, some employees seen coming to the offices by using their private vehicles. Even though the ASTC buses maintained social distancing norms while ferrying employees, a few buses were seen crowded.

The Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) made arrangements such temporary basins with sanitizers at the entrance gate and different blocks inside the Janata Bhawan to ensure frequent hand washing by employees. Most of the employees came to the secretariat by wearing masks.

“The secretariat employees came and left their offices in time. But the work pressure was less. Since it is the first month of the new financial year (2020-21), the work pressure normally remains low even in normal situation,” an employee said.

But there are reports that employees of other State Government offices in different districts faced inconveniences to reach their work places in time due to the lockdown restrictions.

On other hand Commissioner & Secretary of SAD Dr M.Angamuthu on Tuesday issued an office memorandum clarifying that maximum 33 per cent of the total strength of all categories of personal staff attached in the office of the ministers/advisors/additional chief secretaries/ principal secretaries/commissioner and secretaries/secretaries of the government of Assam will attend the office on roster basis as per requirement of the officer concerned. The heads of different departments on Tuesday prepared the roster.

The Office Memorandum also stated that if any employee is stranded in another district since the lockdown started, he may not be asked to attend the office till May 3.

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