Pune: PMC Commissioner Warns Staff Of Suspension, Criminal Action Over Census Duty Absence

Pune Municipal Commissioner and Principal Census Officer Naval Kishore Ram on Tuesday directed strict action against employees failing to report for census duties, warning that negligence in the national exercise would not be tolerated.

Chairing a detailed review meeting at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) headquarters, the commissioner assessed the progress of census operations with all zonal deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners serving as charge officers. During the meeting, serious concern was expressed over the slow pace of work in several areas, where House Listing Block (HLB) operations have either not begun or are progressing sluggishly.

According to PMC officials, work has commenced in nearly 60 per cent of the census groups across the city, while operations in the remaining groups are yet to begin. The civic administration noted particularly poor progress in the Nagar Road, Yerawada-Wagholi, Dhole Patil Road, Aundh-Baner and Sinhagad Road regional offices, where even 50 per cent of the census groups have not started functioning.

The commissioner instructed all charge officers to ensure that work in nearly 11,000 census groups is made fully operational through the online application system within the next two days.

Officials were also directed to immediately contact employees appointed for census duty from government and semi-government offices and instruct them to report for work without delay. The commissioner warned that employees who remained absent from census work would be considered negligent under the Census Act and that criminal proceedings could be initiated against them. Directions were also issued to inform department heads that they should suspend such employees immediately.

During the meeting, it also came to light that employees from PMC’s Primary Education Department and other civic staff members assigned to census duty had not yet reported for work. The administration directed that these employees be deployed immediately; failing which criminal action and suspension proceedings would follow.

PMC officials further instructed the education department to appoint contractual teachers from primary and secondary schools for census-related duties if required. Separate proposals regarding the extension of their service tenure are expected to be submitted urgently.

The commissioner also directed that semi-government letters and formal orders be issued to heads of government departments who have not yet relieved their employees for census work, asking them to make staff available immediately for what was described as a matter of national importance.

Additional instructions were issued to deploy engineers and clerical staff from PMC’s main office for census operations wherever necessary.

The civic chief further ordered a separate review meeting with supervisors showing the poorest performance in census work. Charge officers from regions with unsatisfactory progress will also be served notices seeking explanations for delays.

The commissioner instructed all zonal deputy commissioners and charge officers to complete the work within the stipulated time and announced that daily review meetings would now be conducted through video conferencing and in person at the commissioner level.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Special) Omprakash Divte and Joint Director of Census and Deputy Commissioner Landge were also present at the meeting.

Reiterating the importance of the exercise, Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the census is a priority government responsibility and that any delay or negligence in carrying out the work would invite strict action.