HMDA staff volunteers to pay khadi-skipping fine'

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which has ordered all its employees to follow the government's call to wear handloom clothes every Monday, has decided to fine those who do not follow this call.

The fine of Rs 50 will go into a pool that will help distressed weavers’ families and is called the weavers donation fund, said HMDA Commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu. All heads of department have been instructed to prepare a list of staff who do not turn up in the required handloom clothes every Monday, and the fine amount will be deducted from their monthly salary.

Mr Chiranjeevulu claims his employees do not object to the fine and, in fact, “came forward to pitch in a bigger amount to help deserving students of the poor weaver sections. Although we are using the word penalty, if an employee does not want to contribute we will not deduct any amount,” the metropolitan commissioner said.

“On January 26, we will present a cheque of Rs 10,000 to A. Chandrika, a girl doing her diploma in cardiology. Many employees have voluntarily come forward to contribute,” Mr Chiranjeevulu said.

TNGOs honorary president stated that 99 per cent of employees are following the Minister for Hand-looms, K Tarakarama’s suggestion that they wear handloom clothes on Monday to encourage the handloom sector and ensure a better livelihood for weavers' families. He said that the government has made an appeal and not issued a circular.

"This must be felt as a social responsibility. In districts, Collectors have given instructions to staff to attend Prajavani, the grievance redressal programme held every Monday, wearing handwoven clothes," he said.