Bhubaneswar: Administrative services across Odisha remained severely disrupted on Thursday as around 1,500 officers from the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) and Odisha Revenue Service (ORS) reportedly continued their mass leave in protest against the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo.
The ongoing protest, which began on July 1, has impacted key government functions in over twenty districts. Citizens have been left struggling with delays in essential administrative services including land record management, public grievance redressal, among others, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Sahoo, a senior OAS officer, was dragged out of his office and assaulted by a group of miscreants on Monday, who reportedly demanded that he apologise to BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan. Police have arrested five people so far, including BMC corporator Jeevan Rout. The Odisha unit of the BJP has also suspended five of its members, including Rout, in connection with the incident.
A video of the assault has gone viral on social media, fuelling public outrage and triggering widespread solidarity among the state’s bureaucrats.
“Considering the widespread discontentment of all the members of the Association working across the state, it has been decided that all OAS officers will continue to be on leave until the demands are met,” read a memorandum of the OAS association submitted to the chief secretary. The association further mentioned that the incident has severely damaged the morale of officers working in the field.
Meanwhile, Odisha revenue minister Suresh Pujari urged officers to resume duty, stating that the timing of the protest was inappropriate given the ongoing Puri Ratha Yatra and flood-like conditions in parts of the state. He further reiterated the state government is open to discussions.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
