New Delhi: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan with both nations now engaged in an armed conflict, the West Bengal government has cancelled the leaves of all employees of the state government until further notice. On May 7, the finance department of the state issued a notification and it was circulated in the media on May 8 cited the “current situation” between India and Pakistan as the reason behind the decision.
The order pertains to all employees of the state government irrespective of categories and ranks. Also, those who had earlier applied for leave and has received the sanctioned will now have to report back to duty. The notification clarified that only those employees who are on medical leave will be exempt from the directive. It stated that if government officials want leave their headquarters, they can do so only with the written permission of their respective department’s head.
Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the leaves of all employees will be cancelled due to the escalating tension between India and Pakistan. After the state government issued the directive, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) ordered its disaster response teams to be on high alert especially at night. Also, the KMC directed its departments to increase the storage of emergency supplies like medicines, rice, lentils, dry food items, and tarpaulin sheets.
Its control room will now operate throughout the day and night and senior and essential officials will remain present there. Moreover, officials have been strictly instructed to keep their mobile phones switched on round-the-clock. There will be increased surveillance at important municipal infrastructure points, including the Tala water tank and other critical reservoirs in Kolkata.
