Thiruvananthapuram: Residents who had come to the Corporation for various services were sent back as officials were on leave. The few employees who were present said the rest had all gone to attend the state-level meeting of Kerala Municipal and Corporation Staff Union (KMCSU). People had come from far, and some, like Ambili S. who first went to Thiruvallam village office from Vellar this morning, had to give up on their daily wage only to bring their applications. Ms Ambili was fortunate that she got the required signature. There were others, like a couple who had come with their baby from Vizhinjam, who were asked to come again on Monday. There was just one person at UPA cell and around five officials in people’s planning cell.
The number of visitors was very small as compared to other days. When asked about so many employees going on leave for KMCSU meeting, Mayor V. K. Prasanth said they had been working till 11 pm, so that files are not clogged. He said they had applied for casual leave, and they are entitled to do organisational activities. BJP councillors, protesting outside the Corporation, alleged that at least a week ago the staff had started asking service seekers that they should come back only next week.
The attendance has been poor the entire week, and the absence was more pronounced after Thursday when the KMCSU meeting started, they alleged. They protested placing empty chairs with the tags of various departments like ‘health’, ‘revenue’ and ‘birth and death’. Their slogans were about chief minister’s stand insisting that Onam celebrations should not affect work in government offices. BJP councillor Girikumar V. G. said many parents who came for birth certificates ahead of school admissions were asked to come next week. However, the staff here said that the rush related to school admissions was over.
