BENGALURU: Mayor Padmavathi was irked by several pourakarmikas being absent for work during a surprise inspection at mustering centres in the West zone on Tuesday. She ordered officials to levy penalty on the garbage contractor concerned.
A BBMP release said the mayor, who visited ward mustering centres in Gandhinagar assembly constituency, saw only a few pourakarmikas present as against the number stated by the garbage contractor. She later ordered officials concerned to mark attendance of civic workers every day at the spot.
Eleven out of the 31 workers in Okalipura ward were absent, while 10 workers out of 38 were not present at
Subash Nagar ward. Seven workers were absent at Dattatraya temple ward.
The mayor ordered officials to levy `45,000 as penalty on the contractors. “If there are so many absentees, how can one expect to keep the city clean?’’ she asked. She also directed civic workers to wear safety gear while on duty.
Later in the day, she inspected equipment available with the Forest Department. Out of 21 Prahari (vigilance squad) vehicles in the department, she saw only 15 in the premises. “The contractor is paid `10,000 per vehicle. But here, six vehicles are missing. It appears that the contractor is being paid more,” she said. She also found that some of the Prahari drivers did not have driving licences.