North Corpn decides to cut salaries of negligent officials

Cracking the whip against their lackadaisical approach, the North Corporation on Wednesday has decided to attach the salaries of ‘negligent’ officials who are unable to collect dues from the parking contractors.

Their suspension will not serve any purpose as they will be reinstated in a couple of weeks, said North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee Chairman Mohan Prasad Bhardwaj.

“The amount should be cut from the salaries of these negligent employees and added to the corporation’s fund,” added Bhardwaj. 

“The attitude of the officials show a lackadaisical approach which is why the defaulters are doing wrong with impunity.” 

About a month  ago, the chairman had asked the officials to make sure that all the parking sites under the limits of the civic agency should have a board displaying the parking rates. 

Also, where there are no authorised contractors such parking lots should be declared as free parking zones. But nothing has happened so far.

“Within three days the boards should be fixed on each parking site under the civic agency,” said Bhardwaj.

A councillor from Paschim Vihar, Dr Sanjeev Nayyar raised the issue in the Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday.  “There is a parking lot in the Jwala Heri area where the permit of a contractor was cancelled in 2011. But he has been continously getting contracts in other areas,” said Nayyar. 

“He also owes the corporation around Rs 20 lakh. Why is the civic agency giving him contract again and again?” he said.

The contractor gives a receipt of Rs 10 and charges Rs 20 instead, he added. “An FIR must be registered against such contractors who are fleecing people,” said Bhardwaj.

When the chairman asked the commissioner and other officials, nobody gave a satisfactory reply. “In my opinion, the parking lots where there are no authorised contractors should not be made free parking zones as it will be difficult to run the operation there later,” said Additional Commissioner (Revenue) M S A Khan.

His statement invited a strong objection from the opposition. “Additional commissioner’s statement openly shows the mentality of the officials who are here to protect the interests of the contractors not of the general public,” said Leader of Opposition Mukesh Goel.

The chairman also pulled up officials for not getting the work done in time. “If we know the permit of a contractor is getting over on 31 August, why don’t we hire the next contractor in advance?” said Bhardwaj.