BENGALURU: The Union government’s department of Space has issued orders directing the heads of directors and other departments not to accept any requests of voluntary retirement or resignation of scientific and technical personnel working on Gaganyaan and other important missions.
The order issued on Tuesday was circulated to all the allied departments under the ministry of space and Indian Space Research Organisation by Thursday. Sources in ISRO said people are citing many reasons for leaving the missions midway. The missions are already behind schedule and there are concerns within the organisation. The missions are of national importance and should not be affected. Professionalism needs to be ensured, the order said.
It further said, “Of late, it has been noted that there is a spate of requests for voluntary retirement and resignation from Group A scientific or technical personnel at the ISRO, including those associated with the prestigious Gaganyaan and other missions or projects of national importance.
In view of this, it has been decided that voluntary retirement and resignation requests from the scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other important missions and projects may not be accepted as a matter of routine.”
Any such requests received from the scientific or technical personnel and even those in ranks below the scientific engineers are to be sent to the Department of space with recommend-ations of the director of centres or heads of units for final decision.
A senior official from ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), which is working on providing tracking support, mission operations and data management of all satellites and launch vehicles, said the circular has been issued. It is to ensure continuity in the missions and to ensure the work goes on unhindered. There are many concerns which are being raised on this, which are being looked into, the official said.