Clerks agitation continue in Koraput district

The clerical staff in Koraput district today continued with their protest against action taken against some of them over permission given to landing of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's chopper.
The district clerical association has been protesting against the suspension of junior clerk Krushna Chandra Pradhan over permission given for landing of Pradhan's helicopter at Borigumma on February 13.
The association staged dharna against the suspension on February 23 following which 10 more clerks were put under suspension for dereliction of duty, officials said.
However, the District Collector yesterday reinstated the 11 clerks and transferred them to different blocks of the district, they said.

Transfer of the clerks triggered renewed protests and the employees stepped up their agitation demanding reinstatement of the clerks in their same place.
Officials said the concerned clerk Krushna Pradhan had been suspended on charges of not following the official procedure while preparing the file for granting permission for the landing of the chopper of the Union minister during the rural polls. Similarly, action was also taken against an Assistant Collector and in-charge Additional District Magistrate involved in preparing permission order, they said.

However, the association alleged that the clerk has been suspended without any fault of him.
"The clerk has been carrying the orders of his seniors and he has no fault in it. Reason for suspension has not been mentioned in the order," said P K Nayak, president of the association.

Collector (Koraput) Jaya Kumar V said there were flaws while preparing the permission order for landing of the chopper. Reason for suspension is never written in the order. Reason for suspension will be mentioned in the draft charge and it will be given to the concerned suspended official.
Meanwhile, state BJP unit submitted a memorandum to the Governor urging him to intervene in the matter to resolve the issue alleging that administrative works in Koraput had come to a standstill due to the logjam.
"Since the state Government is using the Collector as pawn in the chess board and making full political use so that the ruling party gets maximum benefit and the principal opposition BJP put to trouble we seek your intervention into the matter," said the memorandum signed by BJP state vice president Samir Mohanty and others.