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Staff union cries foul over Ludhiana MC secy’s abrupt transfer
Highly-placed sources, on condition of anonymity, said that Sekhon was leading a special team formed by the mayor to ensure that the blanket ban on plastic bags was being adhered to when the aide of a high-ranking Congress leader took umbrage with the raids conducted in the Jawahar Nagar camp area on August 3.
Suspecting that municipal corporation (MC) secretary Jasdev Sekhon’s abrupt transfer to Abohar is a ‘punishment posting’ as the orders came on the heels of him allegedly locking horns with a close aide of a senior Congress leader over imposition of the plastic carry bag ban, the Municipal Employees’ Sangharsh Committee and a few NGOs have demanded the roll back of the orders.
The MC employees’ union and members of a few NGOs gathered outside the mayor’s camp office near the Rose Garden on Monday, seeking revocation of the orders but had to return as the mayor was not available.
With officers continued to remain tight-lipped, it is being widely speculated that the orders have been passed at the behest of the plastic industry, which wields significant political influence.
Highly-placed sources, on condition of anonymity, said that Sekhon was leading a special team formed by the mayor to ensure that the blanket ban on plastic bags was being adhered to when the aide of a high-ranking Congress leader took offence to the raids conducted in the Jawahar Nagar camp area on August 3.
The team had reportedly confiscated around 10 quintals of banned plastic carry bags and imposed challans on five shopkeepers in the area, which amounted to ₹1 lakh.
After Sekhon refused to soften his stand, matters allegedly came to a head, with the leader’s aide also butting heads with mayor Balkar Sandhu. Later, the Congress leader reportedly took up the matter at the state-level.
Foul play is suspected as the transfer orders dated July 30 (before the drive against plastic bags was launched on August 2), was formally received by the MC through email on August 6, after a week’s delay. Also, no more drives against plastic bags were carried out after August 3.
Sekhon, who is part of the MC committee, also left for Prayagraj on official tour to study solid waste management on August 5, a day before the transfer orders were received. The team is expected to return on Tuesday. On August 4, representatives of the plastic industry also met the mayor seeking permission to sell 50-micron plastic bags.
MC employees’ union chairperson Ashwani Sahota said the employees had gathered to learn the reason behind the transfer. “If it is a routine transfer, we will not object to it. However, if the orders were passed under the plastic industry’s pressure, they must be rolled back.”
The union will meet on Tuesday to chalk out an action plan.
NGO members have also been garnering support for Sekhon on social media networks alleging that he was transferred for doing his duty. Sikh for Sikhs, NGO member, Gursahib Singh, said, “ Sekhon should not be punished for doing the right thing.”
Sekhon, and the mayor were unavailable for comments.
