Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has decided to review the list of civic workers whose services have been regularised since April 1 to accommodate those who have been left out.
MCC Commissioner Laksmikanth Reddy convened a meeting on July 26 at the Old Council Hall following a representation by ex-corporator and former leader of opposition in the MCC K C Showkath Pasha to consider the left out civic workers who have been working for the last several years.
Pasha had elaborated the problems in Ward no 34 represented by his wife Seema Showkath following the discontinuation of a few pourakarmikas.
“There were 34 pourakarmikas for Ward No 55 now changed to Ward 34. It was reduced to 30 after technical evaluation. However, only 21 of them were regularised since April 1. While one of them died, the remaining eight were still working on contract basis. The contract workers have not received their salaries since April. Last week, they were asked not to attend work. The eight workers were working for the over last 10 years with provident fund and Employees' State Insurance numbers,” Pasha said.
“On enquiry, it was learnt that their names had been left out due to some problem and the same is being processed with all their details and is being sent to the deputy commissioner’s office with reasons for clearance. Among the eight persons asked to stop work were garbage collecting drivers, supervisors and door-to-door garbage collectors. How is it possible to manage garbage clearance without them?” Pasha had asked.
Following the request of Pasha, the MCC Commissioner had allowed the left out pourakarmikas to resume work.
Pasha said that the MCC had relieved a total of 105 pourakarmikas due to technical reasons while 1,647 of them had been absorbed as permanent staff. “Myself, Narayan, also ex-mayor and Karnataka State Federation of Pourakarmikas' Association president, and office bearers of pourakarmika unions held a discussion with the commissioner about the issue,” he said.
MCC Commissioner Laksmikanth Reddy said that some of the left out pourakarmikas had applied for regularisation.
“Dr G Nagraju, MCC Chief Health Officer, and other officials have been asked to verify the list of confirmed civic workers to see if there are any flaws. The officials have also been asked to initiate the process to regularise the services of those eligible and also possess required qualifications and records as per the guidelines formulated for conversion of contractual workers to permanent workers,” he said.
Regarding family members working in place of expired civic workers, Reddy said that there was no provision of jobs on compensatory grounds for contractual workers.
“We will see what is the policy of the government and the provisions available and do whatever best is possible on humanitarian grounds,” he said.