Mumbai: Tainted civic workers still on BMC payroll

More that a hundred BMC employees who had been suspended over serious charges such as dereliction of duty and graft were reinstated in 2020, the reply to an RTI query has revealed. The reason for the shocking decision? Staff shortage amid the pandemic. However, the 117 officials and staffers in question are still on the civic body's payroll. While a few of the reinstated officials were suspended for dereliction of duty and are facing departmental inquiries, many employees were caught red-handed accepting bribes by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

As per the data shared by the BMC in its reply to the RTI query dated April 20, which was filed by Girgaon-based social activist Jeetendra Ghadge, a total of 53 employees from the solid waste management department, 23 from the city engineer department, six from the hydraulic engineer department, six each from the security and fire departments, 17 employees from the health department, and six employees in total from three civic-run hospitals were suspended but are still working.

The reinstated officials are drawing half of their old salaries. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Criticising the move, Ghadge, of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, said, "It is concerning that these officials continue to work in the name of doing COVID duty, even though the pandemic and related duties have ended. At a time when there are numerous allegations of corruption against BMC officials, it is unfortunate to see the civic body allowing such officials to work by providing them backdoor entry." According to Ghadge, the BMC has allowed suspended officials to be reinstated because they are already being paid half the salary under suspension.

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"Instead of paying the officials half their former salaries, the BMC should not pay them for the suspension period. It must hire new officials to provide employment opportunities to non-corrupt young aspirants who are in dire need of jobs. We appeal to the BMC to prioritise the employment of honest and qualified candidates, rather than protecting corrupt officials," Ghadge added.

As its workforce was found to be inadequate during the pandemic, Praveen Pardeshi, the then-BMC chief, in April 2020 ordered the reinstatement of all engineers and employees who had been suspended. These individuals were to be allocated work at COVID-19 hospitals and quarantine facilities. Furthermore, the suspension was to be lifted only temporarily.

Jeetendra Ghadge

Milind Sawant, deputy municipal commissioner, general administration department (GAD) told mid-day, "Yes, currently all these reinstated employees continue to work. No fresh decision over their suspension has been issued since they were reinstated in 2020." Among the 117 reinstated are an assistant engineer and a junior engineer who were found guilty in a departmental inquiry in the 2017 Kamala Mills fire. Another sub-engineer was found guilty and punished with a considerable reduction in pay in case of graft.

"When I asked for the details of this employee in my query, I was told that as per a recent circular of GAD, details of these suspended employees cannot be made public or shared under the RTI," said Ghadge. A senior official said, "The inquiry against these reinstated employees is still pending. Besides this, no new order about their suspension has been issued yet. Till then, it is not a right to make information about these employees public."

No of tainted officials and dept

54
Solid waste management

23
City engineers

17
Health dept

6
Hydraulic, security, and fire each

April 2020
Month decision was made to reinstate suspended officials