Date:20/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/20/stories/2007102060970300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

This month people worked less

Staff Reporter

October had five holidays and four Sundays

There were 22 working days for government employees
Political uncertainty lessened the workload on them

BANGALORE: A series of festivals during the month of October and the accompanying holidays have come as a manna for those who work for a living and take time off to chill.

October, the month of festivities, this year offered five holidays in addition to four Sundays. Which means there were just 22 working days for government employees.

The political uncertainty that unfolded just before the beginning of the month and continued till the first week of the month further lessened the workload on State Government staff.

Beginning October 2 (Gandhi Jayanthi), almost every week had an extra holiday. As if festival holidays were not enough, government employees and students got a day off on October 11 following the death of the former Chief Minister S.R. Bommai.

Many employees had already applied for leave on October 11 and 12 as they could enjoy an extended long weekend from October 10 (Mahalaya Amavasya) to October 13 (Ramzan) and October 14 (Sunday).

A few were even unhappy that they had a second Saturday as the Ramzan holiday fell on October 13.

This next weekend, the employees have holiday for Ayudha Puja. Only the fourth week of the month does not have any holiday.

If government employees had nine holidays, employees of multinational companies which have a five-day week had three more Saturdays as holidays. As October 2 fell on a Tuesday, several employees took leave on October 1 to have an extended holiday from September 29 itself. In fact, some companies chose not to open shop on October 1. The employees, instead, worked on a later Saturday to compensate for the October 1 holiday.