Is the Karnal municipal corporation paying salaries to nonexistent workers?
13 Sep, 2013
An application was filed with the Karnal Municipal Corporation under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to know the number of ‘safai karamcharis’ (sanitation workers) employed by the local body to keep the city clean.
The reply provided by the corporation stated that it had given the contract for safai karamcharis to a firm which had employed 160 workers for whom the corporation was paying Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 5,500 per month. The applicant then requested the municipal corporation to produce all safai karamcharis being hired by the contractor. During the joint attendance exercise, ordered by the then deputy commissioner the corporation could produce only 44 safai karamcharis.
Following the allegation by the applicant that the lakhs of rupees meant for the safai karamcharis were being usurped by the contractor and some corrupt MC officials, an inquiry was ordered into the issue. After the completion of the inquiry, the vigilance department has asked for the approval of the state vigilance director for registering a case against the accused.