Srikakulam: Money collection for union leaders felicitation draws flak

Srikakulam: Collection of money from gazetted officers of irrigation department, Vamsadhara project officials and other departments invited criticism from sections. AP Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGO) Association newly elected state president Bandi Srinivasa Rao along with the secretary K V V Siva Reddy toured in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts on Saturday and Sunday.

On the occasion, a mega bike rally, procession and felicitation arranged at two districts. To bear the expenditure, some of the APNGOs leaders, who are employees of different departments like medical, irrigation, Vamsadhara project, collected money from the non-gazetted and gazetted employees. Particularly in irrigation department, a senior assistant working at

Srikakulam office, collected amount from engineers of the department in

three north Andhra districts with the support of irrigation engineers' association president for north Andhra wing. Some of the engineers and officers of medical department refused to give money and raised objection in the wake of Covid third wave warnings that it is not correct to conduct mass activities as responsible government employees.

"We objected to collection of money for the mass activity in the wake of Covid," a medical officer working in Covid vaccination wing who did not want to reveal his be name said. Collection of money from gazetted officers for felicitation of employee union leader at this juncture is not correct, a superintendent engineer of irrigation department, who wished to remain unidentified said.