Bengaluru civic body bandh: Staff demands better postings
'We are working like slaves in our own department' - Employees’ Association president
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-09-23 03:46 GMT
Bengaluru: BBMP employees held protested at the BBMP head office on Monday against the deputation of non-KAS officers to various key posts in the civic body. Members of BBMP Officers’ and Employees’ Association alleged that officials on deputation were appointed as zonal joint commissioners and deputy commissioners, while senior KAS officers in the BBMP were ignored.
Employees’ Association president P. Dayanand said, “Although the KMC Act has provision to take officials with special expertise and technical know-how to the BBMP for a stipulated period on deputation, the Cadre & Recruitment (C&R) Rule has no provision. There is a provision for deputation only for special fields like solid waste management, road infrastructure and IT, but not routine administration.”
He alleged that while these officers were enjoying all the perks, the BBMP low-rung officials did not even get basic facilities like drinking water, toilets and other office essentials. He said, “We are working like slaves in our own department.” Former president of the association, Subramanyam, alleged that officials on deputation are not aware of the problems of BBMP employees but are paid fat salaries. He said, “According to the KMC Act, the posts should be filled on 50-50 basis, which means, 50 per cent should be filled by BBMP officials according to their seniority while 50 per cent should be filled by KAS officers. This is being violated.”
Many corporators extended their support to the strike and joined hands with the members of the employees’ association. Kacharakanahalli ward corporator Padmanabha Reddy, who was present at the venue, said, “I fully support the BBMP workers as they are demanding their rights. While BBMP officials with 20 years of experience are earning less than Rs 35,000 the officials who have come on deputation are earning nearly Rs. 75,000 as salary. They are not even aware of the problems plaguing the BBMP.”
Banashankari ward corporator A.H Basavaraj alleged that the officials were looting the BBMP through their salaries while they did not even work properly.
The members’ demands include: non-KAS officers should be repatriated immediately; guidelines framed to provide health facilities for all the employees; basic infrastructure provided at all the sub-division offices; vacant posts in all cadres filled and the promises fulfilled which were made at the meeting with BBMP commissioner in January last year.