E-Paper
Chandigarh: Under fire over sanitation staff deployment, MC seeks report
The information was furnished by the MC health wing in response to a question by Ward 2 councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu regarding the actual and required number of safai karamcharis in Sectors 1 to 30
Concerns over the deployment and distribution of safai karamcharis in the city’s northern sectors were raised during the Municipal Corporation House meeting on Friday, with councillors questioning disparities in the number of sanitation workers assigned to different sectors. The issue prompted municipal commissioner Amit Kumar to direct officials to submit a detailed deployment report within a week for review.
The information was furnished by the MC health wing in response to a question by Ward 2 councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu regarding the actual and required number of safai karamcharis in Sectors 1 to 30. The record shows 1,588 safai karamcharis deployed across Sectors 1 to 30 while the number of workers still required is 339.
According to the information, Sector 22, with 124 safai karamcharis, has the highest deployment among the residential sectors. Ward 17 (Sectors 22 and 23) councillor Damanpreet Singh was surprised at the figure. He said that if he adds up the total number of workers in his ward, it amounts to 197. “I have never seen so many safai karamcharis on the ground in my ward. If the figures are true, the sectors should be spick and span with not even a leaf on the road,” he said.
The information shows similarly high deployments in other areas. Sectors 15 and 17 have 96 workers each, while Sector 7 has 80, Sector 20 has 77, Sector 29 has 76, Sectors 16 and 23 have 73 each, and Sector 24 has 72. Industrial Area Phase I has 123 safai karamcharis, making it one of the highest deployment areas.
At present, there is no beat formulation in the northern sectors based on the actual road length, parking areas and open spaces. The medical officer of health has requested the engineering wing to provide the same so that the beats may be formulated as per Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules.
Mayor Saurabh Joshi warned that no safai karamcharis should be found working in the offices of VIPs and senior officials. “Strict action will be taken if anyone is found working elsewhere,” he warned.
A senior MC official, wishing not to be named, said the deployment also includes the workers who clean parking lots and other areas. “Since Sectors 17 and 22 are largely commercial, the deployment of safai karamcharis is higher there,” he added.
