Collector denies entry to late-arriving officers

Rayagada: During the first district-level public grievance hearing of the New Year held at the Zilla Parishad Conference Hall in Rayagada, an unusual situation was witnessed when several district-level officers were not permitted to enter the grievance hearing hall due to their late arrival. The programme was scheduled to commence at 10 am, and the District Collector, Ashutosh Kulkarni, arrived at the venue on time.

Noticing the absence of several line department officers at the scheduled hour, the District Collector directed the security and support staff to restrict the entry of officers who arrived late. Consequently, a number of officials, including some senior district-level functionaries, had to remain outside the hall during the grievance hearing.

The decision was reportedly taken to emphasise the importance of punctuality, accountability and seriousness towards public grievance redressal, which has been accorded high priority by the government. The action conveyed a strong message on administrative discipline and respect for citizens who attend grievance hearings with genuine expectations for timely resolution of their issues.

At the same time, it is important to recognise the practical challenges faced by Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) and other line department officials. These officers are often entrusted with multiple responsibilities, including field visits, emergency duties, court-related matters, and routine administrative work. Occasional delays arising from official exigencies may therefore require contextual assessment rather than being viewed solely as lapses in duty.