Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 19 April 2021
M Vinod, State Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands under the leadership of Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has written a letter to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands demanding addition of Head of Office/Head of Institution as competent authority for sanction of leave including casual leave and station leaving permission to Group-B Non-Gazetted employees in Administration’s Order No. 731 dated 17/03/2021.
M Vinod in his letter has mentioned to the Lt. Governor, that a majority of employees drawing the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200/- to Rs. 5400/- in the Pre-Revised pay structure (Presently Pay Level 6 to 10) are Group B (Non Gazetted) officers. He further added that these Group B (Non Gazetted) officers include Primary School Teachers, Graduate Trained Teachers, Post Graduate Teachers, Librarians, Physical Education Teachers, Craft Instructors, Head Clerks, Office Superintendents, Staff Nurses, Nursing Officers, Senior Investigators, a good number of Para Medical Staff, Sub Inspectors, Junior Engineers and other technical staff of almost all departments. He further mentioned that almost 30-35% of the total employees of Andaman and Nicobar Administration falls under Group B (Non Gazetted) category.
He further mentioned that in some departments like the Education Department majority of employees belong to the Group B (Non Gazetted) category (4500 out of 5500). He further added that considering the large number of Group B (Non Gazetted) Officers it is a herculean task for the HoD to sanction leave including the Casual Leave and Station Leaving Permission in a time bound manner and during emergency.
M. Vinod further wrote that, these Group B (Non Gazetted) Employees are posted in every nook and corner of the Islands including the remotest places. He mentioned a few names to the Lt. Governor like Chipoh, Ganesh Nagar, Budhanallah, Macarthy Valley, Afra Bay, Dering, Gopal Nagar, Garjantikri, Pulopanja, Kuitasuk, Cutbert Bay, Borang, Hanspuri, East Bay Katchal, Sagar Dweep, Strait Island, Narcondum etc. He mentioned to the Lt. Governor that the remote places do not even have simple mobile phone communication facilities let alone any digital facilities. He further added that for most of these Group B (Non Gazetted) officials posted in the outer Islands of North and Middle Andaman Group or Nicobar Group it would be impractical to to avail leave and Station leaving permission from their Head of the Department, which is either the Director/ Secretary/Chief Engineer stationed at Port Blair, especially in case of an emergency.
M Vinod further wrote that treating Casual Leave along with other kinds of leave is improper as employees use casual leave in exigency like situations like sudden health issues of self or family members, or to attend to some personal issues. He added that Casual Leave can also be taken for half day and according to the order issued by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration Group B (Non Gazetted) Officials will have to approach their HoD at Port Blair even for a half day CL.
He requested the Hon’ble Lt. Governor to take necessary action to modify the said order considering the impractical situation and the difficulties that would be faced by the Group B (Non Gazetted) employees of Andaman and Nicobar Administration.