Cracking down on hanging Punjab Civil Service (PCS) and income officers, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday declared his protest in opposition to the arrest of an officer for allegedly taking unlawful bribe in Ludhiana.

In strict written orders, Mann directed chief secretary VK Janjua to droop all officers who don’t be part of obligation by 2pm on Wednesday.

Also learn: Arrested RTA official sent to 14-day judicial remand in corruption case

“It has been brought to my notice that some officers are not attending duty in the garb of some strike. They are protesting against strong action taken by the government against corrupt officers. The government has zero tolerance to corruption and such a strike amounts to blackmailing and arm-twisting. It cannot be tolerated by any responsible government,” the orders read.

He added that the period of absence of those who did not join duty by 2pm on Wednesday should be treated as “dies non (break in service)”.

PCS officers not workers who can form union: CS

Reiterating zero tolerance to corruption, chief secretary Janjua said in his orders: “PCS officers are not workers who can form a union and strike work under labor laws. This unauthorized absence from work and their strike is illegal. Those who do not join duty by 2pm today shall be suspended and their unauthorized absence from duty shall be treated as dies non that will result in break in service and further disciplinary action will ensue.”

Appeals to return to work ignored

The PCS Officers’ Association member proceeded on a five-day informal depart on Monday to protest in opposition to the arrest of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), secretary in Ludhiana, Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, by the vigilance bureau, stating that the process specified underneath the The legislation was not adopted. They are additionally demanding speedy motion in opposition to VB officers who allegedly “framed” PCS officer Tarsem Chand in a false case and a correct commonplace working process (SOP) in issues of inquiries and registration of FIRs.

Though the highest brass gave assurance to the affiliation leaders on their calls for, together with facilitating the discharge of Dhaliwal on bail on Wednesday, and made appeals to them to return to work, however the protesting PCS caught to their stand.

The Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association (PROA), which had additionally joined the PCS officers’ mass informal depart protest, had declared on Tuesday that income officers won’t resume duties until references are despatched to PPSC for nomination to PCS

Signal to IAS officers

The CM’s stern warning to PCS officers can also be a sign to the IAS officers who’ve expressed discontent over an FIR registered by the vigilance bureau in opposition to 2008-batch IAS officer Neelima and 10 different officers for permitting switch of an industrial plot to an actual property developer and its subsequent bifurcation and have been threatening to escalate their protest.

They are in search of speedy withdrawal of the case in opposition to her, saying that the necessary prior approval was not taken by the VB from the competent authority underneath Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Various officers should not averse to happening mass depart if the case in opposition to their colleague was not withdrawn and a few others in a gathering with the chief secretary even threatened on Monday to give up the service.