The Central government on Sunday initiated disciplinary proceedings against four senior officers of the Delhi government.
The Union home ministry suspended with immediate effect Additional Chief Secretary of the Transport Department, and Principal Secretary, Finance and Divisional Commissioner (GNCTD), while also issuing a showcase notice to Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Land Buildings Departments, GNCTD and the Sub divisional magistrate of Seelampur SDM Seelampur.
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“It has been brought to the notice of the competent authority that the officers, who were responsible to ensure strict compliance to the instructions issued by Chairperson, National Executive Committee, formed under Disaster Managment Act 2005 regarding containment of spread of COVID-19, have prima facie failed to do so,” the ministry said on Sunday night.
“These officers have failed to ensure public health and safety during the lockdown restrictions to combat COVID-19. Due to the serious lapses in performance of their duties, the competent authority has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the officers,” the ministry said.
The ministry has not officially reveal the cause of the disciplinary action.
A 21-day nationwide lockdown was imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in a bid to control the coronavirus outbreak in the country that has claimed the lives of 27 people and affected more than 1,000 people in India.
PM Modi, while making the announcement of the lockdown, had appealed people to follow ‘social distancing’, saying it was the only way to combat the COVID-19 infections.
There has been a large scale exodus of migrant workers from Delhi after the announcement of the lockdown.
(With PTI inputs)