West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday issued a strong “zero tolerance” message during an administrative review meeting in Howrah, warning against negligence and absenteeism among employees recruited on political considerations in civic bodies.

The high-level meeting was held at the newly constructed district collectorate building in Howrah, where the Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of the Howrah Municipal Corporation and related civic departments. During the discussions, he expressed serious concern over the performance of a section of employees allegedly appointed through political recommendations, many of whom were accused of not reporting to duty regularly.

The Chief Minister, the Howrah Municipal Corporation has around 1,700 employees, of whom nearly 500 are believed to have been recruited on political grounds. He alleged that a significant number of these workers do not adhere to regular office attendance, with some reportedly failing to serve even basic duty hours. He stressed that such absenteeism has severely impacted essential civic services in the city.

The Chief Minister highlighted that critical public services in Howrah, including drinking water supply, drainage systems, sanitation, waste management, healthcare centres and educational institutions, have been adversely affected due to administrative inefficiency and lack of accountability among staff.

He reportedly remarked that workers must not treat government responsibilities casually, adding that even minimal duty commitment is essential for public service delivery. He urged employees to change their approach and adopt a more responsible attitude toward civic duties.

The meeting was attended by senior officials including the District Magistrate, Police Commissioner, MLAs, representatives from the state police leadership, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), Bally Municipality, and senior officials from the Eastern and South Eastern Railways. Discussions also focused on coordination between state agencies and the railways to expedite stalled infrastructure projects in the region.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the government’s top priority is ensuring clean drinking water supply for residents, repeatedly stressing the importance of water-related infrastructure improvement. He also announced the formation of a coordination committee under the District Magistrate to strengthen sanitation, cleanliness, and overall civic service delivery.

Political observers view the meeting as a clear signal of the government’s strict stance on administrative discipline and its intent to curb inefficiency and political interference in public service recruitment and functioning.