Noida DM transferred for failing to curb coronavirus

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday transferred Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate B N Singh for failing to control the spread of coronavirus, after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the hotspot of the deadly infection in the state.

Announcing Singh's transfer, Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary R K Tiwari told reporters that a departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him.

Special Secretary, Planning Suhas LY has been posted as the new District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar, the chief secretary said, adding that "he has left for Noida to take over charge".

"District Magistrate B N Singh has been removed and attached to Board of Revenue. Departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him. The infrastructure and industrial development commissioner has been asked to initiate the probe against him," Tiwari said.

Singh has been removed for his failure in carrying out work to control the spread of coronavirus, he said, adding that he wrote a leave application and leaked it to the media, which amounts to indiscipline.

Earlier this evening, District Magistrate Brijesh Narain Singh had written a letter to the chief secretary of the Uttar Pradesh government saying he does not want to continue on the post due to "personal reasons".

"Hence, relieve me from the post of district magistrate and grant me three months earned leave and since in the present situation due to COVID-19 outbreak it is essential that no administrative laxity takes place, please appoint some other officer as the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar," Singh wrote in the letter, a copy of which was circulated in media.

Earlier in the day, Adityanath pulled up officials in Gautam Buddh Nagar for not being able to contain the spread of coronavirus in the district, which has recorded 38 COVID-19 cases so far, highest in the state.

While reviewing the district's preparedness to deal with the virus outbreak, Adityanath reprimanded the officers for not taking tough action against a private company which, the health department suspects, has directly or indirectly infected nearly two dozen people so far.

"Ye bakwas band karo apna -- bakwas kar-kar ke aap logon ne poora mahaul kharab ho gaya hai yahan pe.. zimmedariyon ka nirvahan karne ke bajaay ek doosre pe wo (dosh) daalna.. (Stop talking nonsense. You all have spoilt the situation here with all this nonsense. Instead of fulfilling your responsibilities you are passing the buck). We had issued orders two months ago, the order was for the entire state," Adityanath told the officers sternly, directing them to work more efficiently and contain the spread of the virus.

Sixteen new coronavirus positive cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, taking the total tally in the state to 88, officials said in Lucknow.