Civic body fails to release salaries, irked employees stage protest

LUDHIANA: As the Municipal Corporation (MC) has once again failed to release salaries of its employees, members of the Municipal Karamchari Sayunkt Committee staged a protest at the civic body headquarters near Mata Rani Chowk on Wednesday.

Members of the Municipal Karamchari Sayunkt Committee stage a protest outside the MC headquarters in Ludhiana on Wednesday. Photo Inderjeet Verma

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 25

As the Municipal Corporation (MC) has once again failed to release salaries of its employees, members of the Municipal Karamchari Sayunkt Committee staged a protest at the civic body headquarters near Mata Rani Chowk on Wednesday. They raised slogans against the Municipal Commissioner and Mayor for not releasing their salaries.

The protesters blamed the MC authorities for delaying their salaries every month and leaving them in lurch. “Due to poor financial condition of the MC, salaries are being delayed for the last eight to nine months,” the protesting employees said.

“We met the DCFA on Wednesday, but he gave no assurance to us. We want to meet Municipal Commissioner and Mayor, but they have not been coming to the headquarters for the past many days,” he added. No senior official was available at the MC office on Wednesday, he added.

“Earlier, we had met Mayor Balkar Singh a few days ago, but he did not give any response,” he said.

Members of the committee announced that they would carry out protest rally from Clock Tower on Thursday. An MC employee said, “We are forced to stage protests to get our salaries. I get low pay as I am a contractual safai karamchari. As my dues are delayed every month, I am unable to pay installments against loan. I borrow money from my friends to run my family. The government should release our salaries at the earliest.”

Delegation meets Mayor

A delegation of Nagar Nigam Mulazam Association met Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu in the evening on Tuesday. Association president Rahul Dulgach requested Mayor to release salaries of civic body employees. Employees had not been paid salaries for the last two months, he added.

Meanwhile, members of the Municipal Employees Sangarsh Committee also met the Mayor. They demanded release of employees’ salary for March and April at the earliest. They also requested Mayor to release dearness allowance. Meanwhile, the Mayor could not be contacted for his comments.