Absentee Nabarangpur PE teacher draws salary without coming to school

As bizarre as it might sound, a school teacher has allegedly been drawing salary for four months without even going to school since reopening of school following summer vacation.

This allegation has been levelled against Gitanjali Chand, the PET teacher of Mentri Government Upgraded High School under Chandahandi block in Nabarangpur district.

Chand has been accused of not coming to school since June 17. However, she has been drawing her salary every month. She had sought leave till July 15 citing health issues after school opened on June 17. She had sent a letter to the school headmaster in this regard through postal, report said. 

She has written to headmaster for fourth times extending her sick leave through postal. She has urged to transfer her to Bhadrak district citing some family issues. However, despite being on leave for four months, she kept on withdrawing her salary.

Meanwhile, the school headmaster has apprised the district education officer of the matter and urged to stop her salary.

Headmaster In-charge Pabitra Kumar Mishra said, “Our PET teacher is on earned leave (EL) since June 17. I am clueless whether she is getting salary because salary message is being sent to personal number. She has written that she is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bhadrak district. Recently, she has extended her leave till September 30. She will intimate me soon whether she will extend it further.”

District Education Officer Pradip Kumar Nag said, “Gitanjali Chand has not turned up to work after summer vacation because she has been on EL. I will inquire the matter and find out on how come she would receive salary without coming to school for such a long period. I will find out her actual problem behind not coming to school.”

Earlier, the District Collector of Rayagada, Ms Swadha Dev Singh had ordered to withhold the salary of at least 30 government officials including a tehsildar for the month of August over negligence of duty.