MARGAO, FEB 14
Census enumerators, beware. Refusal to perform census duties may invite police action and punishment under the Census Act.
An employee attached to a city-based school is facing action after she failed to report for census duties, thus refusing to perform the duties.
Taking strong cognizance of the report from the supervisor, Deputy Collector Johnson Fernandes had lodged a complaint with the Margao Police against the employee. IN his complaint, he pointed out that the work assigned to the enumerator is of time bound nature and no excuses on flimsy grounds be that of being sick, which sickness certificate is not verified by the medical board as per the directions issued by the Director of Census Operators cannot be a ground for refusal to perform duties.
“The Schedules have to be duly filled and signed within the stipulated time, ie February 28 and no extension is permissible as the census exercise is performed simultaneously all throughout the country at the same time”, he told the police.
Saying that the enumerator has refused to carry out the works assigned to her, the deputy Collector has asked the book the enumerator and tried for the offense under section 11(1)(a) of the Census Act, 1948.
In fact, the deputy Collector has asked the police to ascertain the residential address of the employee and penalized accordingly if she is not available at her office.
Incidentally, the office of the deputy Collector had called the police last week after a senior officials attached to the Labour department was found uncooperative vis-à-vis the census work. IN fact, the deputy collector had issued instructions to the police not to allow the official to leave the office till he agreed to cooperate with the census exercise.
