The state government has filed FIRs against 70 government employees who have not reported for Census work despite being relieved form their parent departments.
According to Anil Sagar, district magistrate of Lucknow, the decision to lodge FIRs against erring employees worked wonders and employees of Lucknow Development A
uthority (LDA) turned up for duty immediately but persons working in the office of the registrar of cooperatives and the Sahkari Gram Vikas Bank continue to stay away.
Interestingly, the maximum numbers of employees who are staying away form Census duties are from Lucknow and Kanpur. In other cities the rate of absenteeism is comparatively lower.
The first phase of the Census operations in UP has apparently run into rough weather with the officials giving the scheduled training sessions a miss and the people refusing to divulge detailed personal information that is sought in the 35-point questionnaire.
Yet, despite these hurdles, nearly 10 per cent of the enumeration work in the first phase in Lucknow district has been successfully completed. Ms Neena Sharma, director, Census operations, said she had received certain complaints and discussed with the respective district administration.