MC employees oppose Vigilance Bureau inquiry

Harshraj Singh
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, November 16

Opposing an inquiry by the Vigilance Bureau (VB) Ludhiana range, members of the Municipal Employees Sangarsh Committee met Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and Commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar and requested them not to provide any record of safai karamcharis and sewermen to the agency for the probe.

The union members alleged that a VB inspector was unnecessarily interfering by seeking record of regular and contractual sweepers and sewermen working in wards of the Municipal Corporation (MC). They further alleged that this interference by the VB Ludhiana range had caused ‘mental harassment’ to civic body employees and officials.

They claimed that the state Vigilance Department had issued directions in 2000 for redressal of complaints and inquiries related to various government departments. Thereafter, every department appointed its own chief vigilance officer, they added. So, the inquiry should be conducted by the vigilance officer of the Local Bodies Department, they said.

The committee chairman Ashwani Sahota said it was decided during a meeting between civic body officials, district administration and members of the Municipal Employees Sangarsh Committee that the state Vigilance Department would not directly interfere in working of the MC Ludhiana.

“The attendance of sweepers and sewermen is marked by senior officials and councillors too. Mayor also conducts surprise checking in Wards. We have requested Mayor not to give record to the Vigilance Bureau. If the agency receives any complaint regarding the MC then it should be forwarded to the chief vigilance officer of the department,” said union members.

Notably, the VB started probe after a city-based RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal filed a complaint against ‘ghost employees’ in the civic body. Sabharwal alleged that the public exchequer was suffering huge losses every year due to ‘ghost employees’ in the MC. Some councillors in connivance with officials concerned were withdrawing salary of ‘ghost employees’, he alleged further.

Earlier, questions were also raised about existence of ‘ghost employees’ in the civic body, but no fair inquiry has been conducted in this regard.

The complainant had stated that the inquiry should be conducted by the Vigilance Bureau so that alleged corrupt practices in the MC could be exposed in front of all the people.

“Why employees are afraid of any inquiry? If they have done nothing wrong, they don’t need to afraid of providing any record. The chief vigilance officer of Local Bodies Department can also conduct an inquiry, but the employees should not afraid of the inquiry,”said Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu.

Are employees afraid of Vigilance probe?

Vigilance Bureau has sought details of all sewer men and sweepers working under the Municipal Corporation and their salary record of this year. Sources said some officials concerned seem to be worried and afraid of the inquiry. “The civic body has not even displayed information about regular and contractual sweepers, besides sewer men in all the 95 Wards. Some politicians are also against the inquiry,” added the sources. 

‘Ghost employees’

Notably, the VB started probe after a city-based RTI activist filed a complaint against ‘ghost employees’ in the Municipal Corporation. He alleged that some councillors in connivance with officials concerned were withdrawing salary of employees, who existed only in records.