Bureaucratic red tape has left 11 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) engineers, posted in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), without pay for the last eight months
The state government has said that the BMC is to blame for this mess as it sent the engineers to SRA without following the procedure laid down by the housing department. File pic
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Bureaucratic red tape has left 11 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) engineers, posted in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), without pay for the last eight months. Despite being posted in the SRA after clearing internal exams, these engineers were not assigned any work, as the officials they were supposed to replace have not been relieved yet.
Several letters have been exchanged between BMC and SRA, but to no avail. The BMC has written repeatedly to the state government — principal secretary (housing department) — as well to resolve the issue, but nothing has happened.
Without pay for more than half a year, the engineers are struggling to manage their families and homes even for basic needs.
Just job, no work
They said they have been forced to dip into their savings, which too are steadily depleting. “We are struggling to run our homes. For the last eight months, we have been treated like a football, kicked between the SRA and BMC.
Initially, we used to go to office and wait there the whole day. But even now, the existing engineers have not been transferred, so we are helpless,” said one of the engineers.
The five assistant engineers and six sub-engineers were earning between Rs 50,000 and Rs 70,000 a month while working with the BMC.
According to civic officials, last year, then chief executive officer (CEO) Aseem Gupta had sent a request to the BMC, asking it to provide 12 engineers. The civic body conducted an exam and posted 12 eligible civic engineers. However, out of the 12, one was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for taking a bribe in February.
The waiting game
Tired of waiting and not getting posted in SRA, the engineers recently sent a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, asking that they be recalled, but even that doesn’t seem to be working out, said an official.
Considering the seriousness of the issue, on September 21, Housing Minister Prakash Mehta and Additional Municipal Commissioner IA Kundan sent a letter (a copy of which is with mid-day) to the state government, requesting that a decision on these engineers’ fate be taken at the earliest.
Mehta’s letter states, “For the last eight months, 11 civic engineers are waiting for their posting as well as salary. Why no action has been taken? Please take necessary action as soon as possible.”
Some engineers are alleging that, it’s nothing but a tussle between the BMC, SRA and state government that has left them in the lurch.
One said, “We are suffering for no mistake of ours. If there is any issue between departments, then at least send us back to the BMC. There are 20 vacant posts in the SRA, in spite of that the government is not ready to take us.”
BMC to blame?
A senior official from the state government blamed the civic body for the problem, saying it didn’t follow rules. “While posting these engineers into SRA, the BMC didn’t follow a government resolution. The civic body has ignored the housing department's set procedure during the appointment of these engineers, and hence, there is no question of giving them postings in SRA,” added the official.
“The BMC has relieved these engineers without government order. So, we are not responsible for their salary. Appointment in SRA is done by government orders, not by the BMC.” Additional Municipal Commissioner IA Kundan was unavailable for comment, while Principal Secretary (Housing) Shrikant Singh refused to comment.
Speaking to mid-day, CEO of SRA Vishwas Patil said, “The final decision regarding the issue will be taken by the government. A meeting of the screening committee, which finalises appointments, is likely to be held soon. I am also hoping for a positive outcome from it.”
The screening committee includes municipal commissioner, principal secretary and other officials.
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