Vigilance to probe issue of ‘ghost employees’ in MC

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 14

Vigilance Bureau has started an inquiry into the complaint about allegedly ghost employees working under the local Municipal Corporation. The Ludhiana range bureau has asked the complainant, Rohit Sabharwal, to get his statement recorded before it.

Sabharwal had sought a vigilance inquiry into the salaries allegedly being released in the name of ghost employees in the MC. He had alleged that a huge financial embezzlement was being done allegedly with the connivance of certain councillors and officers of the Health Branch and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Branch of the MC, Ludhiana.

In his complaint, Sabharwal has alleged that certain councillors deputed fewer workers to carry out various works than the sanctioned strength but claimed salaries for the full strength from the Municipal Corporation. A huge financial loss is being caused to the public exchequer on this account on a yearly basis. The workers, friends and relatives of certain councillors, who are not working at all but are drawing salaries according to the MC record, he alleged.

Contractual workers, including sewer men, safai karamcharis and other Class IV staff, are engaged on a daily wage or monthly salary basis (DC rates) in 95 wards of the MC.

There is no transparency in the working of safai karmacharis, sewer men and other employees. Residents in many areas also complained that no sweeper comes to their places on a regular basis. Even the civic body never displayed information about working sewer men and safai karamcharis at its web portal, said another RTI activist.