Assam government left red-faced as Bangladesh picture included in flood report to Rajnath; officer suspended

Two hours later, Dipak Kumar Sarma, chief executive officer of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) put out an “urgent corrigendum” to the media through an e-mail which said that “a pictorial error has occurred inadvertently showing photograph of rescue of a spotted deer which is not related to Assam” in the interim report submitted to the union home minister.

An hour later, another press release, issued by the Assam Chief Minister’s Office said Madhumita Bhagaboty, Civil SDO of Kaliabor sub-division in Nagaon district was placed under suspension with immediate effect for forwarding to a government whatsapp group the picture showing a person rescuing a deer and saying it was from Kaziranga National Park that is also currently reeling under floods. While the photograph was subsequently included in the government’s interim report on floods to Singh on Saturday, the government later finding it to be not from Kaziranga, placed the officer under suspension. Bhagaboty is a 1995-batch office of the Assam Civil Service.

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Though the CM’s office press release did not mention that the photograph was from the 2014 floods of Bangladesh and was published in The Daily Mail of London, the press release however warned of stern action against officers who discharged their duties in an irresponsible manner. “The state government considers deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers as eyes and ears of the administrative machinery. The government will not tolerate if officers discharged their duties in an irresponsible manner. Stern action will be taken against officers who discharged their duties in an irresponsible manner,” the CMO’s press release said.