CSWO demands revocation of transfer of lady peon

“Even if we go by his allegations, he should clearly know the rule of issuing a show-cause notice to the staff to explain her negligence of duty before resorting to punitive action”

FROM A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 7: The Civil Society Women Organization (CSWO) has expressed surprise over the justification of the Director of Soil and Water Conservation, an official of the government of Meghalaya, who had said that the lady peon employed as an orderly peon was feigning ignorance about her work.

It may be mentioned that recently a woman working as orderly peon attached with the Director of Soil and Water Conservation, D Langstieh alleged harassment by her boss at his quarter as she was assigned non-official work there.

In this connection, the State government had notified the mes of three-member committee who will probe the alleged harassment to the lady peon by the Director of soil and water conservation. The investigating team will also examine the reason which led to the transfer of the girl to Byrnihat.

“The lady peon did right to flatly refuse his orders to stay in his quarters, which are not described anywhere in the service rules of the State Government,” Agnes Kharshiing, president of CSWO said here on Tuesday. According to the NGO leader, the lady peon applied for a post duly advertised by the state government and if the official has crossed his limits in demanding something beyond his powers, he should be the one punished and not the lady peon.

“Even if we go by his allegations he clearly knows the rule of issuing a notice to the staff to explain her negligence of duty before resorting to punitive action of stopping her pay or transferring her,” she said adding that in this case she (peon) was duly doing her job required of her for months and it was only when she refused to stay in the Directors quarters was she slammed the door.

The CSWO has further demanded immediate cancellation of the transfer order of the lady peon which according to the organization is a direct abuse of power by an officer not following the Rule of law.