Chandigarh, Mar 4: The Punjab government on Tuesday asked the protesting revenue officers to join back their duties or face suspension.
The strict orders came a day after the Punjab Revenue Officers association suspended the property registration work till March 7 in protest against the vigilance bureau action against some revenue officials in Ludhiana in a fraudulent land deal.
They are also protesting against the vigilance bureau action on some revenue offices, saying such actions are “creating an atmosphere of fear”.
On Monday, the revenue officers had gone on a mass casual leave, affecting the property registration work thus causing inconvenience to people.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also lashed out at the revenue officers for not undertaking the property registration work.
He said revenue officers are protesting against certain officials who were caught in a corruption case by the vigilance bureau.
“There is a zero tolerance against corruption,” Mann asserted.
He said the protesting revenue officers should not remain under an impression that they could blackmail the government by suspending the work.
Speaking to reporters in Kharar tehsil office in Mohali, Mann said the government has authorised other officers for property registration work in the state.
“If they do not join back their duties, we will appoint new officers,” he said, adding that an approval for recruiting new revenue officers will be given in the next Cabinet meeting.
“Tehsildars are on strike in favour of their corrupt colleagues but our government is strongly against corruption. To prevent inconvenience to the public, other tehsil officers are being given the responsibility of all tehsil work. Enjoy your collective holiday, tehsildars. However, people will decide when and where you rejoin after this holiday”, said Mann in a post on X.
Meanwhile, in a communication to all revenue officers, it was stated that “it has come to the notice of the government that some revenue officers have gone on strike/mass leave/are not registering documents.” “This amounts to blackmailing and arm twisting which cannot be tolerated by the government,” said an order of the additional chief secretary (revenue).
“All the revenue officers who are on strike/mass leave/are not registering documents are hereby directed to join their duties by 5 pm today. Revenue Officers who do not join their duties and start performing all their duties (including registration of documents) by 5 PM today shall be placed under suspension and their unauthorised absence from duty shall be treated as dies-non which will result in break of service,” it said.
In addition, strict disciplinary action under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 1970 will be taken against them, the order said.
Those officers who are under probation, their services are liable to termination on account of this misconduct or non-performance of their duties, it further said.
In another order, the state government appointed all the PCS officers, ‘Kanugos’ and senior assistants posted in revenue offices as sub-registrars for property registration work. (Agencies)
The post Join back duties or face suspension, says Punjab govt to protesting revenue officers appeared first on Daily Excelsior.