Why Did the West Bengal Government Cancel Employee Leaves Indefinitely?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- All leaves cancelled for West Bengal government employees, excluding medical leave.
- Order issued in response to Operation Sindoor.
- Employees must remain at their headquarters unless authorized.
- KMC has also cancelled leaves and advised disaster management personnel to stay alert.
- Chief Minister warns against artificial price inflation in food markets.
Kolkata, May 8 (NationPress) The government of West Bengal has announced that all leaves for state government employees are hereby cancelled indefinitely, with the exception of medical leave, due to the current situation following Operation Sindoor. This operation involved the Indian armed forces targeting various terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The official order, issued by Additional Chief Secretary P.K. Mishra, states, "Considering the ongoing circumstances and the necessity to maintain public services, all leaves granted to West Bengal government employees, aside from medical leave, are cancelled effective immediately. No official may depart from their headquarters without written consent from their Department Heads. This directive is aimed at safeguarding public interest and will remain in effect until further notice."
In a similar vein, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has also issued an order that cancels all employee leaves until further notice, particularly advising those in disaster management to remain vigilant during nighttime.
Staff in these critical departments have been instructed to prepare all necessary disaster management and relief supplies in advance. Enhanced monitoring at key public service installations, especially water tanks, has also been mandated.
Senior officials are required to keep their phones operational for the next week, 24 hours a day.
Additionally, the KMC control room will function continuously, and officials must be present there on a rotational basis.
On the same day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned food traders against any actions that might lead to artificial inflation in food prices within retail markets.
“If anyone believes that only Kashmir will suffer from the current turmoil, they are mistaken. We too might encounter challenges. Therefore, vigilance is essential. No one should exploit this situation through hoarding or black-marketing. The state government will monitor this closely," she stated.