Bengaluru: Expressing serious dissatisfaction over delay in salaries to Pourakarmikas, city Mayor Sampath Raj took the Joint Commissioners of the eight BBMP zones to task.
At the special council meet on Thursday, the Mayor lambasted the officials and said, "It is only because of your official negligence, the 198 corporators have to hang our head in shame. First, know your duties and act responsibly."
"For all the mistakes committed by you, we elected representatives are answerable and blamed. If you knew that there are more number of pourakarmikas from the past many months, why haven't you taken any action in this regard," Raj questioned. He said if you cannot pay their salaries then why did you allow them to work in the first place.
"Did you realize that there were so many extra pourakarmikas only when they started demanding salaries? You want them to work freely to BBMP and when they demand their salaries, you blame that there are more numbers. The biometric system has been in place since January and pourakarmikas have to swipe thrice a day to get their attendance and wages for the day. Why payments were not released even for the ones covered under biometric system," Sampath questioned, amid silence by the officials concerned.
The leaders of opposition too demanded an answer from the officials. They even insisted that FIRs should be lodged against the officials, whose negligence led to the death of Subramani, a pourakarmika.
Ruling party leader Shivaraj demanded that action was being taken against all the JCs for negligence. Leader of opposition Padmanabha Reddy opposed the recent BBMP order stating that all pourakarmikas whose work tenure is less than one year should be terminated after settling their dues. He said 3,341 pourakarmikas have been working for the past one year. “They have to be absorbed and given all facilities, including ESI and PF, and not terminated," he added. He demanded that all the 18,334 pourakarmikas are paid their salaries and provident fund amount without any delay. He threatened to protest if this is not done.
