PACS secys on sick leave make Thailand trip, suspended
While their official records showed them battling imaginary ailments, their social media photographs showed them busy battling the waves in Phuket and Pattaya.
The govt, however, wasn't too thrilled about their impromptu beach therapy session. They swung into action, suspending three of the secretaries and serving show-cause notices to the others.
"Upon inquiry, we found that Manjay Dharua, Dhaneswar Sahoo and Arun Pujhari, secretaries of PACS at Lachhipur, Mayurudan and Rengali in Sonepur district, were absent from Aug 8-11.
It was found that they were vacationing in Thailand after having taken sick leave. They were suspended on Aug 12," Nruparaj Sahu, district collector of Sonepur, said on Sunday.
Govt sources said these six PACS secretaries, along with a senior official from the registrar of cooperative society in Boudh district, had gone on a trip to Thailand from Aug 8-11 which was sponsored by a private fertiliser manufacturing company.
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"The PACS secretaries were expected to be present during the crucial farming period. Their responsibilities include overseeing farmer registration and managing the distribution of fertilisers, which are vital to the agricultural community during this period of time," explained an official of the state cooperation department.
PACS play a vital role in paddy procurement and the supply of seeds, fertilisers and agricultural equipment to farmers.
Their absence during this period left many farmers without access to essential resources.
Girish Chandra Purohit, Boudh district registrar of cooperative societies (DRCS), confirmed that three PACS secretaries from the district had joined their suspended colleagues from Sonepur on the Thailand trip, and have been issued show-cause notices. "I, too, had accompanied the six PACS secretaries to Thailand from Aug 8-11. Three secretaries from our district have received show-cause notices. I am also under departmental inquiry, although I had obtained prior permission for the trip," Purohit told TOI.
Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, secretary of the state cooperation department, said the investigation is ongoing. "We are taking action against those found guilty of dereliction of duty," Patil said.
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