PANAJI: The state administration would be "paralysed" over the next six to seven weeks as most of the staff of the government departments as well as government schools would be on duty for the census survey and revision of the electoral rolls.

The heads of departments were, however, not taken into confidence while summoning their staff.

According to the information provided by various heads of departments, the services of nearly 60-70 per cent of the clerical and other staff in their departments have been requisitioned by the government for the census survey as well as revision of electoral rolls up to booth level, which could lead to these departments becoming "non-functional" in absence of staff as a result of which the public would have to suffer.

The director of Panchayats, Mr Menino D’Souza told ‘The Navhind Times’ that all the panchayat secretaries and even the clerks in panchayats have been requisitioned for survey work that would begin from April 1 and continue till May 15. He said that most of his staff had just returned to work after the Zilla Panchayat election duties.

He further said that while "summoning" the staff for duties the heads of departments were not taken into confidence and the staff of his department has been threatened with imprisonment in case they fail to turn up for survey work. He further said that the plea for allowing the staff to work half day in their offices has been turned down by the authorities.

Similar views were expressed by the director of Tourism, Mr Swapnil Naik who said that around 70 per cent of his staff has been summoned for both the duties as a result of which the department would be affected unless the authorities decided to relieve some of them. He too said that he was not consulted while the staff was requisitioned for survey work.

He went on to state that most of the personnel working in the accounts department have been summoned for the duties as a result of which the financial work during the financial year has been badly hit. He further said that he would request the authorities to relieve at least some of the accounts personnel so that the financial year-end work could be carried out on time.

The dean of Goa Medical College, Dr V N Jindal also spoke in a similar tone adding that both the clerks on the pharmacy in charge of issuing medicines have been summoned for survey work. He further said that this could lead to stoppage of the issue of medicines, which in turn would lead to patients suffering. He also said that many other clerks, including both his personal assistants have also been called in for survey work.

The excise commissioner, Mr Sandeep Jacques also said that some of his staff has also been summoned for census work. Similarly, the staff of civil supplies department and teachers of all government schools, in large numbers, have also been called in for the census duty.

Meanwhile, following large scale requisitioning of the teachers without taking her into confidence, the Director of Education, Dr Celsa Pinto has shot off letters to the mamlatdars and deputy collectors, asking them as to why the circulars directing the teachers from government schools to attend training pertaining to the census work, were issued through the ADEIs and not routed through either the department of education or the zonal officers of the education department.

The letter dated March 19 had also requested the mamlatdars and deputy collectors to cancel the order, but there has been no response to this communication, till date. She said that she has also forwarded a related file to the secretary for education as well as the Minister for Education.

She also informed that utilisation of the services of the teachers just before the examination, during the time of examination and at the time of paper correction, would harm the students and also come in way of the teachers and schools losing mandatory school instructional days. As per the Right to Education Act the teachers need to be compulsorily present in the classes for 220 educational days.

Dr Pinto said that she was not aware of the number of teachers directed to join the census training sessions. She went on to add that there were 370 single-teacher government schools in Goa, and if teachers from such schools were forced to attend these sessions, the schools would have no option but to close down.

"The department of education from its side has already asked the cluster resource persons as well as para-teachers working under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to move to such single-teacher schools, as a temporary measure," she noted.

"If one expects quality primary education in the state, then one should not use teachers for such non-teaching purposes," Dr Pinto said, adding that the teachers were also involved as booth level officers in the ongoing election-related works, in coastal survey and in the educational survey; the last two surveys being carried out by the directorate of planning, statistics and evaluation.

Meanwhile, Dr Pinto said that the department of education needs to get tougher on the private unaided schools, which are not adhering to the prescribed fee structure. Informing that a related file has been forwarded to the secretary for education, Dr Pinto said that the committee set up to give recommendations on the fee structure has already done so and the recommendations have been included in the file. "We will deal with such schools with an iron hand as soon as the government takes a decision on the recommendations," she noted.