Assam: Public services hit as officials reportedly remain absent till noon at Boko block office, residents raise concerns

Allegations of prolonged absenteeism by officials at the Boko Block Development Office in Assam's Kamrup district have sparked concerns among local residents, who claim they are often forced to wait until noon to access basic public services.

According to villagers, officials and employees at the block office routinely fail to report for duty before 12 pm, causing significant inconvenience to people travelling from remote areas for official work. Residents alleged that the delay has become a recurring issue, affecting the timely delivery of essential administrative services.

Responding to the allegations, Block Development Officer (BDO) Tapasi Debnath said she was unable to attend the office as she had been required to participate in meetings at the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner's office.

However, the explanation has drawn criticism from local residents, who questioned why such meetings continue to require physical attendance despite the availability of digital communication platforms, including video and audio conferencing. They argued that frequent off-site meetings result in avoidable delays and impose additional financial and logistical burdens on villagers travelling long distances to the office.

Residents further alleged that official meetings are often cited as a reason for the absence of key personnel, leading to disruption in public services. On the day of the complaint, locals claimed that no accountants, senior assistants, assistants or computer operators were present before noon. Only clerical staff and chowkidars were reportedly available at the office, who stated that the usual office reporting time is around 10 am.

Official records indicate that the Boko Block Development Office has a sanctioned strength of two Block Development Officers, four computer operators, two engineers and a total of 25 staff members. Residents alleged that despite the sanctioned workforce, none of the key officials were present before midday on the day in question.

Following the complaints, Boko-Chaygaon Sub-Divisional Officer Priyanshu Bharadwaj and Kamrup District Development Officer Siddhartha Goswami assured that the matter would be investigated and appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.