Month after transfer to Abohar, MC secretary reinstated in Ludhiana

The order for Jasdev Sekhon’s reinstatement was issued by the Punjab local bodies department on Friday and received on Saturday evening

Over a month after he was transferred to the Abohar municipal corporation on August 6, MC secretary Jasdev Sekhon has been posted back in Ludhiana.

Jasdev Sekhon had been leading a 13-member team to enforce the ban on plastic carry bags, announced by mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu on July 21, when his transfer order came on August 6. (HT Photo)

The order was issued by the Punjab local bodies department on Friday and received on Saturday evening.

Notably, since August 2, Sekhon had been leading a 13-member team to enforce the ban on plastic carry bags, announced by mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu on July 21.

But four days after the beginning of the drive, a solitary order was issued for the official’s transfer, raising several eyebrows, with MC employees also terming it a “punishment posting”.

The transfer order, issued on July 30, was received only on August 6, while Sekhon was away to Prayagraj (Allahabad) on an official visit to study solid waste management.

Following his transfer, the drive to enforce the Solid Waste Management and Cleanliness and Sanitation Bylaws, came to a halt, eliciting protests by Municipal Employees Sangharsh Committee.

More recently, the MC employees’ union met the mayor and cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, seeking rollback of the transfer orders.

Following Sekhon’s reinstatement in Ludhiana, union chairman Ashwani Sahota appreciated the decision by the local bodies department.