Ghost staff: Oppn supports VB probe

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 17

A day after the Municipal Employees Sangharsh Committee opposed an inquiry by the Vigilance Bureau into a complaint about alleged ghost employees in the MC, Opposition councillors have supported the inquiry. They have said a fair inquiry must be conducted into the matter.

A councillor of the Lok Insaaf Party from Ward No. 50, Swarandeep Singh Chahal, has claimed that a big scam could be unearthed if a fair probe was conducted into the complaint about ‘ghost employees’.

“There are a large number of ghost employees. I know that there are hundreds of such employees only in Zone C. They work only on paper. The nexus is run by some officials who keep the ATM cards of these ghost employees and often withdraw their salary. Some amount is left in their bank accounts and the rest is withdrawn via the ATM. These employees, who don’t do field duty, are generally assured that they will start getting salary when their jobs are regularised,” alleged Swarandeep Singh.

“I have raised the issue of ghost employees multiple times but my claims were always ignored. It is a welcome move that the Vigilance Bureau has started an inquiry into a complaint about ghost employees. If any councillor, officer, clerk or any other person is found guilty, he/she should not be spared,” he said.

Another councillor said: “Any honest person will never afraid of an inquiry. There is nothing wrong if an inquiry is conducted in a fair manner.” The Leader of the Opposition in the MC and senior Akali leader, Harbhajan Singh Dang, said: “We want a fair probe into the matter.”

Opposing the inquiry on Friday, members of the Municipal Employees Sangharsh Committee requested Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and Commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar that no record of safai karamcharis and sewer men should be given to the Vigilance Bureau. They alleged that the bureau officer was unnecessarily interfering in the MC affairs. However, the Mayor stated that the employees should not afraid of any inquiry, if they had done nothing wrong.

An RTI activist, Rohit Sabharwal, had complained to the Vigilance Bureau about alleged ghost employees in the civic body. He had alleged that a few councillors, in connivance with officials, withdrew salaries of ghost employees who existed in MC record but don’t actually work on the ground.

Following the complaint, the bureau sought details of regular and contractual sewer men and safai karamcharis working in all wards of the MC. It also sought the attendance and salary record of these employees.

The allegation

RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal had complained to the Vigilance Bureau about alleged ghost employees in the civic body. He had alleged that a few councillors, in connivance with officials, withdrew salaries of ghost employees who existed in MC record but don't actually work on the ground. Following the complaint, the bureau sought details of regular and contractual sewer men and safai karamcharis working in all wards of the MC. It also sought the attendance and salary record of these employees.