Government asks Kannan Gopinathan to join duty immediately; he says no way
Ahmedabad: The government has asked IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who quit the elite service eight months ago "over denial of freedom to the people of Jammu and Kashmir", to immediately join duty in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic but the bureaucrat said he won't resume work.
The government has asked Gopinathan to join duty on the ground that his resignation has not been accepted yet.
Gopinathan termed this as as act of harassment by the government and refused to join duty, saying he is ready to volunteer his service to people during the COVID-19 crisis but not as an IAS officer.
Owing to imposition of curbs in Jammu & Kashmir after revocation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state in Union Territories in August last year, Kannan had resigned in protest as IAS officer from the adjoining UT of Daman and Diu.
It has been almost 8 months now since my resignation. Only thing the Govt knows is harassment. Of people & of officers.
"I know that they want to harass me further. But still, I offer to volunteer for the govt in these difficult times. But not rejoining IAS, Gopinathan tweeted on Thursday night, posting a photo of his official response to the government.
The letter sent to Gopinathan by the government on the direction of the Administration of Daman, Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli said, a resignation becomes effective when it is accepted and a government servant is relieved of his duty.
You were directed to continue to attend your assigned duties, but till date you have not reported for duties of this UT administration".
Further, coronavirus has been declared as a pandemic and NDMA, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, has directed all Ministries /Departments of Government of India, state governments and state authority to take measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the letter said.
Therefore, you are hereby directed to report for duty immediately, the letter said.
In his response to the order, whichGopinathan has put up on Twitter, he said, In this regard, let me clarify that I have resigned from the Indian Administrative Service close to eight months back, in August 2019, and accordingly the government has also not processed my salary since then.
"Hence, I am under no obligation to reply. As a responsible citizen, I extend all my services to the people of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu during this disaster."
The 33-year-old bureaucrat said he is ready to help people as a common citizen.
"But as I have already resigned from IAS, my services won't anymore require the tag of an IAS officer, or the perks and salary that it entails.
"I provide my service voluntarily as a free and responsible citizen of this country, the letter by Kannan to the government read.
Gopinathan had resigned to protest "denial of freedom to the people of Jammu and Kashmir" following scrapping of Article 370 by the NDA government, which had also imposed communication curbs on the erstwhile state, including on the Internet, and ordered detention of prominent leaders.
A week after his resignation, the government had asked him to join duty, a directive he ignored. This is the second time Gopinathan has been asked to join duty.
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State will send ₹850 crore proposal to Centre for development of Malpe harbour: Min Mankal Vaidya
Udupi: The State will submit a Rs 850 crore proposal to the Union government for the overall development of the Malpe fishing harbour, Karnataka Minister Mankal S. Vaidya announced while laying the foundation stone for a Rs 12.52 crore modernisation project of the harbour under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
“If the Union government does not consider the proposal, the State government will finance the proposed project,” The Hindu quoted Vaidya, state's Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport, as saying.
Vaidya noted that Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules continue to hinder coastal development in Karnataka, preventing the implementation of projects worth Rs 2,034 crore. He stressed the need for CRZ norms in the state to be aligned with those in other states, where such regulations do not pose a barrier to coastal infrastructure and development initiatives.
Speaking at the event, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said the PMMSY has revitalised the fisheries sector, enabling the implementation of several projects that benefit fishing communities nationwide. He urged the state government to prioritise dredging of estuaries and upgrading fisheries jetties to ensure year-round navigability and the safety of fishing vessels.
The Rs 12.52 crore modernisation project will focus on enhancing sanitation and water supply at the harbour, upgrading fish handling capacity, and strengthening security at the port, The Hindu quoted fisheries and ports officials as saying.
A reliable water supply and improved handling facilities are expected to speed up auctions and vessel turnarounds, while upgraded wastewater systems will help tackle long-standing issues of odour and contamination at the harbour.
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