“Around 4700 sanitation workers have been serving the NMC since past 25-30 years on temporary basis and are working 26 days in a month. It clearly proves they are supposed to be regular employees in accordance with rules and regulations. The Administration dumped all Government circulars, proposals and thus paying Rs 164 as minimum daily wage as against Rs 320 according to rules.”
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Nagpur News.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Nagpur Unit blasted the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Administration and office-bearers as well for “deliberate” violation of directives, guidelines, rules and regulations governing the “Aiwajdars” (Sanitation workers). “The NMC Administration has been exploiting the Aiwajdars and making them targets of whims and fancies since past years together,” the BSP leaders lamented.
The BSP leaders further said, “Around 4700 sanitation workers have been serving the NMC since past 25-30 years on temporary basis and are working 26 days in a month. It clearly proves they are supposed to be regular employees in accordance with rules and regulations. Moreover, other types of official works, according to respective education, are being performed by the sanitation workers but without any Government service benefit. The Aiwajdars carry out sanitation work of 900 running metres instead of 750 running metres according to rules. They are not made regular workers despite sanctioning of new posts,” the leaders said.
The leaders further stated, “The NMC Administration, in a height of exploitation of sanitation workers, dumped the Public Works Department (PWD) circular of 2009 stipulating the daily wages of labours/rejas (women labours) as Rs 220 and implemented the General Circular of Urban Development Ministry of December 31, 2008 by paying Rs 164 as minimum daily wages that too misinterpreting the Circular. Neither the sanitation workers were informed of the change in daily wages by the NMC Administration nor there was any Overnment order in this regard. The General Body Meeting of NMC, it its meeting on 12.04.2010 unanimously passed a proposal on paying Rs 220 as daily wage in accordance with the PWD Circular. However, the NMC Administration neglected the proposal. The General Body Meeting, on 03-03-2011, again passed the proposal and directed the NMC Administration to implention the proposal within 45 days. The Maharashtra Government also conveyed the NMC to take the decision in this connection at its level. The NMC Commissioner, through Health Officer, informed the Government and Lokayukta that the daily wages of Rs 220 are being given to sanitation workers with effect from 01-01-2012. But it was never implemented. Thereafter the many General Body Meetings and the Government Circulars passed the proposals for paying Rs 320 as daily wage for sanitation workers. But still the NMC Administration failed to implement the proposal and thus making mockery of General Body Meetings and the Maharashtra Government,” the BSP leaders said.
“The NMC Administration has been systematically exploiting the sanitation workers and playing dirty games with them. The criminal neglect also points out a big scam in the wages of sanitation workers. Therefore, the Bahujan Samaj Party demands fulfillment of following demands immediately,” the leaders said in a letter to NMC.
1) Regularization of sanitation workers.
2) Fixing of daily wages in accordance with PWD Circular.
3) Filing of criminal offences against officials who are resorting to exploitation of Aiwajdars.
4) Ending of contract system.
The leaders who signed the letter include BSP Nagpur District President Vishwas Raut, Vice-President Avinash Badge, In Charge Milind Bansod, In Charge Jitendra Mhaiskar, General Secretary Naresh Wasnik, Executive Secretary Anand Somkuwar, BSP Group Leader in NMC Murlidhar Meshram, Chairman of Aasinagar Zone Gautam Patil, and Corporator Kishore Gajbhiye.
