DECEMBER 23: Postpone, defer, hold back, wait - don't spoil the party. As the city gears up for the annual year-end shut-down, for once you don't need any excuse to keep work pending.

Corporate offices and government establishments are registering a sharp fall in employee attendance. ``Everyone is completing his or her entitlement of casual leave and so very little work is being done,'' said a departmental head at the Western Railway's offices across Churchgate railway station. Thin attendance has been reported in the customs, airports and at the offices of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The only exception to this year's holiday-mania is the banking system which is gearing up to accept declarations under the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme. As per orders issued by the Reserve Bank of India, designated branches of the State Bank of India and other nationalised banks will accept declarations even beyond banking hours in order to complete the procedure by December 31. ``Granting of leave is being strictly avoided so that we are able to complete the work on time,'' a State Bank of India official said.

However, users of certain utilities like Mumbai airport which faces agitation by its employees are likely to be severely hit. While the junior staff at the airport combine their casual leave with their weekly holidays, the officers who are demanding higher pay and perks have planned a mass casual leave for Friday. Consequently holiday makers flying by air are likely to suffer from disruption in air services throughout the country.

Even the corporate sector and foreign missions have been afflicted by the holiday bug. The embassy and information service of the United States will kick off its Christmas and New Year celebrations with a party for employees thrown by US consul, Sheldon Austen, on Wednesday afternoon. ``We will be closed for the long holiday weekend,'' informed Raja Chandran, spokesman for the USIS. The usual functions of the consulate like issue of visas will continue on Monday and Tuesday till Wednesday afternoon when the New Year week-end intervenes. ``Of course everyone will be in a holiday mood,'' Chandran said.

On the other hand, the British Deputy High Commission will try to maintain a semblance of normalcy by keeping its library open in the intervening days between Christmas and New Year. ``Though our employees would like the library to remain closed, this is the time when our members really depend on us,'' said Malvika Murlidharan, spokesperson of the Commission. In keeping with the spirit of the season, the High Commission held a thanksgiving mass followed by a picnic for its employees last week. The annual party scheduled along with it will have to wait till New Year as senior officials are out of the country, Murlidharan said.

The advertising industry and the media were not far behind the year-end festivities. Lintas, India's premier advertising agency, threw a party yesterday for present and past employees. And Outlook magazine, Indian media's newest success story announced a week-long hiatus for its employees from its ongoing circulation war with India Today.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.