Paliencar pays surprise visit to Gogol, Rawanfond WRD offices

the goan I networkrMARGAO rrAfter he came across the biometric scan reader installed at the Gogol office tampered by unscrupulous elements, the WRD Minister directed the officials to make finger scan mandatory in all the WRD offices in the state. rThe Minister made his presence felt at the Gogol office at around 3.45 pm and straight away called for the attendance and movement register to check the ground reality. The Executive Engineer Kalangutkar was found absent with the head clerk informing that the official has proceeded to Sanchayi Bhavan for a meeting. What, however, came as a surprise for the Minister was the fact that the EE did not write his movement register from April 21 till date and that the same was recorded today by the Head clerk following instruction from the official. When the Head clerk spilled the beans, the Minister directed the department officials to issue the memo both to the Executive Engineer and the Head clerk, besides two other employees. rWhen the Minister was emerged from the office, he was told that the biometric scan was not working. It was only after a scribe inserted the wires that the unit started functioning, leaving the Minister an agitated lot. “Such indiscipline will not be tolerated by the department when I am presiding over the WRD affairs. I want the biometric finger scan mandatory for all employees immediately,” he said, while issuing a stern warning to the erring staff that the department would not spare anyone tampering with the biometric scan and the movement and attendance register. rrOfficial told to disconnect air conditionerrMARGAO: Conveying a message that he means business, Water Resources Minister Vinoda Paliencar on Thursday point blank told a senior official to disconnect his air conditioner if the lift of the building is not in operation owing to low voltage. rThe Minister had made his surprise visit to the Rawanfond office, which is housed in a new building constructed over a year ago. Paliencar, however, found to his shock and surprise that the lift is not in operation and his inquiries only revealed that the lift has not been in working condition from day one for reasons best known to the WRD officials. rThe engineer concerned was not in office when the Minister made his surprise visit, but when Paliencar later spoke to the engineer over the phone, the official attributed the non-functioning of the lift to low power voltage. Take aback by the engineer’s reply, Paliencar told the official to switch off his air-conditioner so that the lift receives the adequate power supply. “I have told the engineer to get the lift functioning within eight days. I have also told him that he can switch off his air-conditioner to facilitate operation of the lift,” Paliencar said.