Outcome of prelimiry probe into woman's slur with government

BY OUR BUREAU
SHILLONG, Jan 31: Prelimiry investigations carried out on the alleged harassment of a young orderly lady peon by the Director of the Department of Soil and Water Conservation is already on the table of the government.
The investigation was carried out by an officer at the Secretary level. Although, nothing definite is known about the report, it is very clear that only the views of the Director were solicited on the accusation made by the women employee. The alleged woman employee’s verbal views/disclosures were never sought. This brings into light the laxity of interl inquiries of the department that is now plaque with controversy.
The woman has gone to an extent to file a petition to the Principal Secretary on how she was treated. Utmost was his direction to tell the woman stay in his official quarter, the woman, a graduate from a reputed college and an orphan who makes her way to a government job pushes her dignified way of living to deter unscrupulous superiors.
A senior official said, “We have to update ourselves”, adding” due process of the law will be put in place and justice will be done”. Asked on this when the complaint has even reached the Minister in charge of Soil and water conservation,, the senior official simply said, “ an inquiry has been undertaken on the basis of unearthing the principle evidence”. The official said that fresh updates are coming to verify such issues involving ‘vengeance and vindictiveness and greater justice will be done as per the practices.
Meanwhile, no action has been taken by the department concerned to cancel the transfer order despite the request of the female orderly peon to put on hold the transfer order from Shillong to Byrnihat Ri-Bhoi district.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, she said she will be leaving for Byrnihat in a day or two. Prior to joining her duty at Ri-Bhoi, she was asked to produce her last pay certificate (LPC) which was not in her possession due to the pending salary.
The woman’s refusal to stay at the Director’s residence offended Langstieh who allegedly withheld her salary for the last six months.
 The orderly peon went to the treasury office where she was informed that the treasury has received a letter from the directorate yesterday (Monday) to release her pending salary.
 “The order came yesterday to release my pending salary,” she said, adding that the treasury office also expressed surprise that she was transferred without paying her salary.
 “Only because I refused to bow down to his demands of staying in his residence, he transferred me to Byrnihat. There is no accommodation in Byrnihat,” she said.
 Refuting the allegations of the Director who termed her as ‘irregular’, she said, “I never get the opportunity to go to the office and sign the register since I am stationed at the Director’s residence.”
 “At his residence there is no attendance register and he got an advantage and said that I am irregular,” she said.