Seven govt employees suspended for negligence of duty in Assam

Guwahati, June 19 (PTI) Seven employees of the Inland Water Transport Directorate of the Assam government were placed under suspension on Saturday for "gross negligence of duty" over partial submersion of a pontoon at Gobardhan ghat in Chandrapur, near here.

Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary ordered the suspension of the employees deployed at Chaulkhowa-Aparia- Gobardhan ferry service in Bongaigaon district, an official release said.

The employees are sectional assistant Sahnur Ali, laskars Puspa Bora and Liladhar Nath, field khalasi Tarani Kalita, and khalasis Maheswar Bhuyan, Dwarika Chowdhury, and Mantu Kumar Goswami, it said.

The suspended employees cannot leave the headquarter without prior permission of the competent authority, the statement said.

The pontoon which was stationed at the ghat on Kolong river for several years had remained partially submerged for about three days earlier this week and the employees concerned had reportedly not taken any action to retrieve it, a senior official said.

Noting that no negligence of duty will be tolerated, the minister said strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.