The Executive Officers of temples are overburdened with work load, as nearly 40 % of the posts remain vacant for long time in Coimbatore zone comprising Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Erode and Tirupur districts.
According to an official in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR &CE) Department, as many as 680 listed and over 3,000 non-listed temples are governed by the Executives Officers from Grade I to Grade IV in Coimbatore zone. Of the 172 sanctioned posts of Executive Officers, 70 remain vacant for quite a long time.
Due to this, the existing EOs are forced to administer over 15 to 20 temples in addition to the existing temples under their control and report either to the Joint Commissioner or to the Assistant Commissioners. Though the TNPSC recruits Executive Officers on a regular basis, only a few vacancies are filled up. Whenever the EOs are appointed, an equal number is retiring and the position remains the same, the official laments.
The attrition rate of EOs in HR & CE Department is very high as the new recruits leave the jobs because of work pressure even on weekends and holidays, the official adds.
It is for the government to find out a solution to fill the vacant posts on a permanent basis and reduce the attrition rate, the official says.
