India: Don't lick fingers before touching documents, officials told

Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh: Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Raebareli has issued an order asking officials and employees to stop using saliva to wet their fingers before turning pages of files and other documents.

CDO Abhishek Goyal has issued the order citing that doing away with the habit will help prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

"It is observed that officers and employees use saliva to turn the page of the files, due to which there is a risk of spreading communicable diseases," read the order.

"Therefore, all district level officers (development) / block development officers are directed to use water sponges by themselves to turn over the page of the files so as to avoid the infectious/communicable diseases," stated the order. "Ensure strict compliance in the concerned offices and provide the compliance report to the CDO office in three days," it added.