Office attendance thin, security alert issued to DCs

SHILLONG, SEPT 17: Even as the statewide office picketing launched by ngos literally brought the government machinery to a grinding halt on Tuesday, the most affected by the picketing was East Khasi hills district as only 15 percent of the government employees turned out in the offices.

Ten ngos who are demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state called for the office picketing as part of the third phase of its agitation. The agitation includes two days office picketing and night road blockade on September 17 and 19. The timing of the road blockade has been fixed from 7 pm on September 17 and 9pm on September 19, to be followed by a 24 hours bandh from 5 am on September 20 to 5am the next day.

Functioning of the state, central government offices, banks and financial institutions were affected as its employees did not turn up for work, Meghalaya principal secretary (home) KS Kropha informed that the state percentage of attendance in the government secretariats and other directorates is 50 per cent.

However, in Shillong, most of the offices like the District Transport Office (DTO), Public Work Department (PWD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) department were virtually closed as most of the employees did not turn for work.

East Khasi hills deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal said, “The percentage of attendance of government employees in the district is very thin which is between 15 to 20 percent.”

But West Jaintia hills district deputy commissioner PS Dkhar claims that in the entire district the attendance of government employees recorded was around 76 per cent.

According to official report from other districts of the state, the overall attendance in Ri Bhoi district is 38 per cent, South West Khasi hills is 78, West Khasi hills district is 70 per cent, East Jaintia hills is 65 per cent.

Meanwhile, security forces have been put on high alert in view of the night road blockade called by the pro ILP activists which will start from 7 pm on Tuesday to 5 am on Wednesday.

“Police have been instructed to intensify patrolling in their respective jurisdictions across the state,” a senior government official informed here.

The deputy commissioners of all the eleven districts have been given special instructions to ensure that the law and order is in place in their respective districts.

On Monday a review meeting on the ongoing law and order scenario in the state was held with the state security agencies briefing the chief secretary on the possibility of a possible flare up in the law and order fronts in pockets that have been identified.

“We had a review meeting on the ongoing scenario and our vision is to prepare for the best and not the worst,” Pariat told reporters after the meeting.

Pariat said besides the need to augment central paramilitary forces to aid the existing forces, the talks surrounded on the measures to prevent any further deteriorating in the law and order scenario.-By Our Reporter