Hamirpur PWD Officer Fined Rs 5 for Not Attending Panchayat Meetings for 4 Years

Ravi Singh

Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh: In a first, a Public Works Department (PWD) officer from Tauni Devi, Hamirpur, was fined Rs 5 for not attending Panchayat Samiti meetings for four consecutive years. The fine was imposed during the quarterly meeting of the Panchayat Samiti held on Monday, chaired by Harish Sharma, the Samiti chairman.

Harish Sharma announced the decision on Tuesday, describing the fine as a symbolic gesture to remind the officer of his responsibilities and to set an example for others. He said that the penalty would also be noted in the officer’s annual confidential report, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue.

“The absence of PWD officials from meetings has been a persistent problem despite repeated warnings. This negligence has adversely impacted local development projects,” Sharma said. He added that the decision to impose the fine was unanimously agreed upon by all members present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, Devraj, the executive engineer of PWD, said he was not informed about the meeting. “I will check whether my office received any communication about this meeting,” he said.

This action by Panchayat Samiti brings to the fore the difficulties in ensuring accountability among officials in the government and underlines their need to participate actively in local governance for effective developmental work.