E-Paper
Regularisation of Ludhiana MC employees: Review panel omits 88 names from previous list of 3,630
The verification panel, which was constituted by Ludhiana MC House, found that the 88 people were dead, non-existent or have been absent from duty for a long period of time
The verification committee, which had been constituted by MC general House at its meeting on July 25, has found that 88 of the 3,630 names of MC’s contractual employees (sweepers and sewermen) that had been tabled for regularisation, are either dead, non-existent or have been absent from duty for a long period of time. Mayor Balkar Sandhu said the panel’s inquiry report and verified list will be tabled at the next MC House meeting on October 4, where a final decision on regularisation of employees will be taken.
The verification committee initially comprised two councillors - Jai Prakash and Sunny Bhalla and MC officials. The councillors, however, stepped down from the committee on September 23 stating that proper records were not being provided to them, making it difficult to carry out the review process. The remaining process was carried out by the other MC officials on the panel.
Of the 1,142 sewermen mentioned in the previous list, 28 been removed (for reasons stated earlier), including four in Zone A, 18 in Zone B and six in Zone D. Also, names of 60 of 2,488 sweepers have been omitted, including 26 in Zone A,23 in Zone B, six in Zone C and five in Zone D.
An MC official, requesting anonymity, said officials of multiple branches had not revised the list tabled in the last House meeting. Councillors, including Jaspal Giaspura, Mamta Ashu and Baljinder Bunty, had sought action against officials who had added names of ineligible employees in the list.
The MC House will also take a call on regularisation of 456 contractual drivers, gardeners, peon, mechanics etc, who were left out of the initial list.
As many as 60 resolutions will be tabled for discussion at the House meeting, including extending the upper age limit for employees to be regularised.
Earlier, various MC employees’ unions had submitted memorandums with MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal, asking for the upper age limit to be increased from 42 to at least 50.
They stated that a large number of employees, who have been working with MC for decades, will miss the chance to get regularised if the upper age limit is not extended.
Also, Amid hue and cry from councillors, a resolution to reconsider MC’s recent decision making it mandatory to get building plan approved and clear all dues with building branch to get an NOC to carry out construction will also be tabled. The findings of a CAG audit report from 2019-20, which stated that lack of coordination between building branch and property tax wing is resulting in loss to state exchequer, will also be tabled for discussion.
A proposal to establish a school for the children of MC employees will also be taken up. The proposal has been prepared based on the demand of MC Employees Sangharsh Committee. Other resolutions on the table include establishing an IT cum geographic information system cell and MC’s own petrol pump and installation of 9,000 LED street lights across the city.
A decision will also be taken on whether MC employees transferred to other cities by the state are to be relieved of duty.
MC will also taken a call on the penalty to be imposed on those found flouting the ban of single-use plastic. The penalty will range between ₹2,000 and ₹20,000, depend on the quantity of the banned material seized from the violator.
Other important resolutions include payment of ₹1.56 crore as salary to contractual staff deployed for ward delimitation and giving sewermen working in MC the designation of “sewer sainik”.
Projects worth ₹3.2k cr under 24x7 water supply scheme up for approval
Projects worth around ₹3,200 crore which need to be taken up under the World Bank funded 24x7 surface (canal based) water supply project will also be tabled for approval
These include setting up demo zones and allowing floating of tenders to carry out the first phase of the project, which will cost around ₹1,700 crore (including 10 years maintenance). The formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) - Ludhiana Urban Water and Waste Water Management Limited, to take up the project, will also be discussed.
