The State government has reportedly directed heads of departments to ensure that government employees stop holding birthday celebrations and farewell parties during office hours and maintain proper decorum, discipline and punctuality while performing official duties. This is a welcome decision.
However, the government should go a step further and ask all heads of departments to take action against employees who come to office in an intoxicated state, waste time watching clips of Hindi TV serials, films or comedy shows, listen to music videos, spend hours chatting with relatives and friends, or play different video games on their mobile phones during office hours, while still drawing full monthly salaries.
The government should also direct heads of departments to act firmly against employees who play cards and carrom inside government offices. I have personally seen such games being played during office hours, sometimes even in the presence of senior officers.
The government must take these issues seriously and take strict action against habitual offenders so that government offices are no longer turned into places of gossip, idling or recreation, but function with the discipline expected in public service.
