The Education Department has come out against the ongoing campaign by Congress-affiliated unions representing government employees and teachers claiming that N.P. Balakrishnan, former district president of the NGO Association, was suspended because of his reluctance to join the ‘salary challenge’ flood relief initiative of the government.
Terming the campaign ‘baseless’, Jessy Joseph, Additional Director of Public Instruction (General) and Vigilance Officer, said that fabricated bills for ₹2,97,239 for noon-meal scheme were found to have been produced by the authorities of Government Upper Primary School, Puthur, in an inspection by the district finance inspection wing on December 12, 2017. Mr. Balakrishnan, the noon-meal officer attached to the Chevayur Assistant Educational Officer, however, had not found any lapses in this regard during his inspection on November 7. He did not direct the school authorities to follow the guidelines related to filing of documents, bills, and vouchers and purchase of foodgrains and vegetables for the noon-meal scheme either. The finance inspection wing recommended his suspension pointing out that his lapses had led the school authorities proceed with corruption in such a huge magnitude.
The Finance Department on August 31 this year directed the Director of Public Instruction to take action against Mr. Balakrishnan and he was suspended pending inquiry. P.K. Sobha, the headmistress of the school, too had been suspended by the Deputy Director of Education, Kozhikode, the release added.
The Congress had recently staged a dharna in protest against Mr. Balakrishnan’s suspension claiming the official action as an act of vengeance by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Party leaders had also alleged that he was transferred twice soon after the LDF came to power.
