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Grease palm to get job of safai worker
Ardh Kumbh fair may be nearly two months away but irregularities have started coming into limelight. More than a dozen safai karmcharis have forwarded a written complaint to the divisional commissioner as also to the health department authorities about commission being demanded from the recruiting zamadars.
Ardh Kumbh fair may be nearly two months away but irregularities have started coming into limelight.
More than a dozen safai karmcharis have forwarded a written complaint to the divisional commissioner as also to the health department authorities about commission being demanded from the recruiting zamadars.
Sources said, many of the complainants are those who had been carrying out cleaning work under the supervision of the health department not only in the yearly magh mela held in the city but they had been going to as far as Ujjain and Haridwar to carry out the work.
They have alleged that money was being demanded from them through the recruiting zamadars in the mela. Sources said, there are usually 12 recruiting zamadars in the mela who are supposed to get 10 to 12 persons in a gang.
There are usually 150 gangs who undertake safai work in mela. The number of gangs may increase in accordance with the need.
Being the Ardh Kumbh this time, the number of gangs may increase. The complainants have alleged that each recruiting zamadar was being asked by the authorities concerned to cough up Rs 2000. Obviously the recruiting zamadar will be left with no option other than to collect money from those who are desirous of getting work on daily wage basis. So, in case there are 150 gangs those demanding the money will pocket at least Rs 3,00,000 in just one go.
This illegal gratification is just from one work while there are reportedly dozens of such jobs in the mela where manipulations are allegedly done by those sitting at the helm of affairs in the health department which has one of the most important assignments--looking after the health of lakhs of pilgrims who settle down to live for more than a month in the sprawling tent city spread on the banks of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.
Sources said, those who are ready to pay will be taken in while others will be left out. But the older lot amongst them appears to have taken up cudgels against the officials concerned and have decided to fight out their case without buckling to the pressure of paying illegal gratification.
The complainants have urged the divisional commissioner to direct the Additional Director Health to facilitate their recruitment for the mela without any demand of money from them.
Commissioner RN Tripathi being out of city was not available for comments. Additional Director Health and Family Planning Dr GC Srivastava said, he too has received the same complaint.
He said, those with the complaint should come to him directly and should not give a penny to any middleman.
Meanwhile, MLA from Handia Mahesh Narain Singh has written a letter to the Principal Secretary Health pointing out several financial irregularities committed by a doctor in the last magh mela held in 2005-06. The letter says, it is surprising that the said doctor earlier posted at the TB Sapru Hospital as store in -charge had been suspended for his involvement in bungling in medicines but the same doctor has been posted again in the magh mela. However, despite all this the AD hid facts from the administration and gave a clean chit to the said doctor, alleges the MLA.
