Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Sunday ordered a detailed inquiry into allegations of irregularities in the appointment of security guards across civic establishments after a BJP delegation raised concerns on July 23 about the recruitment process.
PMC commissioner Naval Kishor Ram said the civic administration would conduct a comprehensive inquiry before taking any action.
“A detailed inquiry will be conducted in this matter, after which appropriate action will be taken. Nothing can be said at this stage until the inquiry is completed. If any irregularity or wrongdoing is found, it will be examined thoroughly during the inquiry,” Ram told Hindustan Times on Sunday.
On July 23, a delegation led by BJP city president and corporator Dheeraj Ghate met the commissioner and submitted a memorandum seeking a probe into the recruitment and service conditions of security guards engaged by the civic body through private agencies.
The memorandum alleged that security guards accused of poor performance are often removed from duty or sent back to contractors without an internal inquiry or an opportunity to present their side. Fresh guards are then appointed through a process that lacks transparency.
It alleged receiving complaints regarding financial transactions during the appointment of new security guards after existing personnel were removed. It claimed that while public representatives recommend eligible candidates from their wards for employment, complaints suggest some appointments are allegedly made after accepting money, which deprives deserving unemployed candidates of an opportunity to secure jobs.
{{/usCountry}}It alleged receiving complaints regarding financial transactions during the appointment of new security guards after existing personnel were removed. It claimed that while public representatives recommend eligible candidates from their wards for employment, complaints suggest some appointments are allegedly made after accepting money, which deprives deserving unemployed candidates of an opportunity to secure jobs.
{{/usCountry}}The party urged the civic administration to investigate the role of officials allegedly involved in these practices and initiate strict action if the allegations are substantiated.
“There are complaints regarding the appointment of security guards and the manner in which employees are removed from duty. The entire process, from recruitment to termination, should be investigated thoroughly. If any officer or agency is found responsible for irregularities, strict action should be taken,” Ghate said.
The memorandum also sought a probe into the service conditions of security guards engaged by the civic body through private agencies and whether they receive full payment on time.
The delegation included corporators Ravindra Salgaonkar, Puneet Joshi, Raghavendra alias ‘Bapu’ Mankar, Prithviraj Sutar, Vishwas Nanaware, Ajay Khedekar, Atul Tarawade, Amar Awale, Sunil Pande, Pooja Jagade, Payal Tupe, Archana Jagtap and Navnath Jadhav, among others.
The appointment issue had also figured prominently during a recent PMC General Body meeting, where corporators from both the ruling and opposition benches questioned the administration about the security guard deployment system.