Govt to ensure virtual offices at both places
Offices to re-open on Apr 20 with reduced strength
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 17: The Union Territory Government today suspended over a century old practice of bi-annual Durbar Move in Jammu and Kashmir in view of Coronavirus pandemic till June 15 as against scheduled date of May 4 and ordered re-opening of the UT Government offices with reduced strength of the staff from April 20. However, it directed that all educational and training Institutions will remain closed till May 3.
The UT Government has modified its order issued on April 10 which said the Durbar Move offices will reopen in Srinagar on May 4 but the staff will operate on “as is where is” basis i.e. the Jammu employees will work from Civil Secretariat Jammu and the Kashmir employees from Srinagar.
The modified order issued today by the General Administration Department said the Government has observed that formal opening of Durbar offices in Srinagar on May 4 may affect COVID control efforts in Jammu and Kashmir as there is spike in number of cases which required effective control.
A fresh order by the GAD said the Durbar offices will now formally open at Srinagar on June 15.
However, it said, the Government will review the arrangement on June 15, or earlier, when a clear picture on extent and spread of COVID-19 will emerge.
The Government had directed the Administrative Secretaries to put a mechanism in place to ensure a virtual office functions at both the places (Jammu and Srinagar).
“All Administrative Secretaries will put in place a robust online/electronic/video conferencing/other communication mode at Jammu/Srinagar to ensure a virtual office at both the places,” the GAD order said.
“All officers assigned specific COVID-19 control tasks will continue to function from their present location till further orders to ensure that Coronavirus control efforts are not hampered on account of physical dislocation of officers/ offices,” the Government order said and added that the Civil Secretariat at Srinagar will start partial functioning on May 4 with the staff and officers on “as is where is” basis i.e. with those staff members who have already been or likely to get relocated before that date.
The Government has directed the Administrative Secretaries to furnish list of officers and staff who will work from Srinagar and Jammu respectively to the General Administration Department by April 21. It said the concerned Administrative Secretaries/Head of Departments will assign work to officers and staff stationed at Srinagar and Jammu accordingly for obtaining maximum efficiency and minimum disruption.
The practice of bi-annual Durbar Move was started by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1872 under which the Civil Secretariat offices function for six months of summer (May to October) in Srinagar and six months of winter (November to April) in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the Government has also ordered re-opening of Government offices in Jammu and Kashmir from April 20 but with reduced strength of Non-Gazetted officers.
The Government offices were closed since 21-day lockdown began on March 23 till April 14 excepting those dealing with Emergency services. The closure of offices was extended till April 19.
As per another GAD order, all offices dealing with essential supplies/services will be fully functional as already instructed by the Government.
However, all educational and training institutions will remain closed till May 3 by when the lockdown has been extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“In all other offices, officers of the level of Under Secretary and above will regularly attend the offices with effect from April 20 while 33 percent of Non-Gazetted staff will attend office as per roaster to be devised by the respective Head of offices,” the GAD order said and directed the Heads to take necessary steps for implementation of instructions with regard to social distancing, face masks and sanitizing the work places in their respective offices, as per the guidelines.
It said the staff/workers of Forest Department operating and maintaining Zoo, nurseries, Wildlife, fire-fighting in forests, watering plantations and patrolling will work as usual.
“Arrangements for issuance of passes will be made by the General Administration Department for Civil Secretariat employees and by the Deputy Commissioners in respect of officers/officials working in their respective jurisdictions,” the order said.
The offices listed in the essential services category included Police, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management and Prisons, Health and Medical Education Department Institutions, district administration and Treasury, Electricity, Water, Sanitation and SRTC and Municipal Bodies-only staff required for essential services like sanitation, personnel related to water supply etc.
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