Dynamite News COVID-19: Odisha govt relieves 9 IAS officers from COVID-19 duty
The Odisha government has relieved nine senior IAS officers from COVID-19 duty, an official said.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has relieved nine senior IAS officers from COVID-19 duty, an official said.
The officers have been spared of COVID-19 duty so that they could attend to their original administrative responsibilities, the official said.
Some of senior officers engaged in Covid duty have been spared to attend to their original administrative responsibilities . They performed very well under trying circumstances . We thank them for their dedication . pic.twitter.com/bUiAJy9m4b
— ChiefSecyOdisha (@SecyChief) June 5, 2020
"Some senior officers engaged in COVID duty have been spared to attend to their original administrative responsibilities. They performed very well under trying circumstances. We thank them for their dedication," Chief Secretary A K Tripathy wrote on his official twitter handle.
Senior IAS officer and Industry secretary Hemant Sharma, who was supervising in the procurement of essential pharmaceutical goods, PPEs, masks and critical care equipment for COVID-19, has been rescinded since June 1, a notification by the General Administration department said.
The state government had earlier shifted senior IAS officer N B Dhal from Health and Family welfare department in middle of the states fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also Read |
COVID-19 Lockdown : Donald Trump unveils three-phase plan to reopen states
Dhal has been appointed as secretary in Energy department.
The officers who have been rescinded from COVID duty are: Water Resources secretary Surendra Kumar, Sports secretary V K Dev, Works Secretary Krishna Kumar, director social welfare Aravind Agarwal, Tourism director Sachin Ramchandra Yadav, State Project Director of OSEPA Bhupinder Singh Poonia.
This apart, Labour secretary Anu Garg and Director Sports R Vineel Krishna were also withdrawn from their COVID- 19 duties.
Also Read: Coronavirus Pandemic- India surpasses Italy as sixth worst hit country
These officers had been entrusted with different responsibilities in Covid management in addition to their departmental duties.
The government action in removing Hemant Sharma and rescinding other officers came in the backdrop of a recent controversy when the state government refused to take delivery of PPEs, masks and sanitiser brought in more than 20 trucks which were stranded outside Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL) warehouse, about a week ago.
However, the government later decided to accept only PPEs, which had arrived here by May 31.
Also Read |
US announces Dollar 100 mn support to China for Coronavirus
The development triggered a sharp reaction from political parties with opposition Congress and BJP alleging that it smacked of corruption in COVID management as the same equipment were purchased by the state government at different prices from different suppliers.
"We demand a CBI probe into the procurement of the equipment for COVID-19 management in the state. There has been allegation of irregularities in the purchase and a thorough inquiry is needed," senior Congress leader and trade union leader Rama Chandra Khuntia said.
OPCC spokesperson Sudarshan Das said: "Just removal of some officers from crucial positions will not give justice. A high level inquiry into the matter of procurement should be made."
Also Read: 1.37 lakh samples tested for COVID-19 in last 24 hours-ICMR
BJP state general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar also demanded a high level probe into the incident. "The procurement is not at all transparent. Same things have been procured from different companies at varied rates," she claimed.
Countering the opposition charge, senior BJD leader and former minister Sashi Bhushan Behera said corruption has never been allowed by the Naveen Patnaik government. If at all any irregularity in Covid management comes to notice, appropriate action will certainly be taken, he said. (PTI)