113 Faridabad civic employees rendered jobless

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, November 19

As many as 113 employees of the erstwhile panchayats of 24 villages transferred to the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), have failed to get jobs and their pending salaries since January 2021. This has led to unrest among the civic staff of the panchayats as they are now faced with a survival crisis, it is claimed.

The affected workers include 70 tubewell operators, 14 gardeners and chowkidars and 29 safai (sanitation) workers, who had been engaged by the village panchayats, before their merger into the civic body two years ago,’ said sources in the MCF.

“While 57 safai workers were absorbed in the MCF in December 2021, there are still 29 workers in this category who are awaiting a call from the civic body,” says Manoj Balguher, an employee of the civic body .

He said while the authorities had assured that they would absorb all 170 employees working with the 24 village panchayats, ftwo thirds of the staff have been jobless for the past about two years.

Charging the authorities of being callous, he said the 57 employees absorbed had not been given the salary of the break period of 11 months (between January and December 2021).

“The delay has left us in dire straits, as we have become unemployed with no other source of income,” says Renu and Meena, two of the affected workers from Mirzapur village.

Vishal from Sahupura village said since he had been working for the village panchayat for the past seven years, he was to be transferred to the MCF after the incorporation of the panchayat into the civic body. It had become difficult for him to make ends meet as he had now become jobless.

Describing the issue as a cause of concern, Naresh Shastri, president, Nagarpalika Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, said the union may resort to an agitation if the demand was not accepted soon. He said while funds and assets worth hundreds of crores of the panchayats had been transferred to the civic body, the authorities were shirking from providing jobs to these employees.

Birender Kardam, Chief Engineer, MCF, said, “Employees with proper records have been absorbed and the cases of the rest have been sent to the higher authorities for consideration. The salary of the break period needs to be paid by the erstwhile employer.”

Affected workers were engaged by panchayats before MCF merger

Affected workers include 70 tubewell operators, 14 gardeners and chowkidars, and 29 safai (sanitation) workers who had been engaged by the village panchayats before their merger into the civic body two years ago, said sources in the MCF.

Cases being considered

Employees with proper records have been absorbed and the cases of others have been sent to the higher authorities for consideration. The salary for the break period have to be paid by the erstwhile employer. — Birender Kardam, MCF chief engineer