Bihar govt approves leave of addl chief secy KK Pathak

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 2 (ANI): The Bihar government has approved the leave of Education Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) KK Pathak. He will be on earned leave for 28 days from June 3 to June 30.
He recently drew flak for his stance on declaring holidays in schools during heatwave conditions in Bihar.
In a letter dated June 2, the Bihar government Department of General Administration said, "K K Pathak, IAS (BH: 1990), Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, Bihar, Patna (Director General, Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development - BIPARD, Patna) is granted earned leave for a total period of 28 days from June 3 to June 30 under Rule-10, 11 and 20 of the All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955."
The letter further said that Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dr S Siddharth has been given the charge of ACS of the Education Department.
The letter further said, "During the period of absence of K K Pathak, IAS, Dr S Siddharth, IAS (1991), Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Chief Minister's Secretariat, Bihar, Patna (Additional Charge-Additional Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, Bihar, Patna) will hold the additional charge of the posts/responsibilities held by him."
S Siddharth will also be in charge of the Director General (DG) of Bihar Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development (BIPARD).
KK Pathak was recently embroiled in a controversy regarding the declaration of holidays in government schools in the wake of heatwave conditions in Bihar.
Earlier, the education department had changed the school timings amid the scorching heat and did not announce holidays.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar directed State Chief Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra to shut down the schools as required given the severe heatwave. The CM has also directed to conduct a meeting of the crisis management group and decide on other necessary steps, stated Bihar CMO.
All private and government schools and coaching centres in Bihar are to remain closed from May 30 to June 8 given the severe heatwave in the state.
Meanwhile, after receiving information about school children falling ill due to severe heat in the state, Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar spoke to the Chief Secretary of the State over the phone and directed to close all the schools in Bihar for the next few days and to provide better health facilities to the children by all the District Officers. (ANI)