BENGALURU: During the peak of the second wave of COVID-19, many volunteers worked with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in management of patients, containment zones, bed allocation and many other tasks. While they brought a smile to the faces of many who were saved and reached out in the time of crisis, most of the volunteers are, however, now disappointed.
The reason? They have not been given their due payments as promised. While some worked in direct coordination at the zonal levels, others were involved with the citizens help desks and in contact tracing. Even as BBMP officials maintained that the payments of many volunteers were settled till May, the latter say they have not been given their dues as assured. The matter is worse in the case of the Bommanahalli zone.
“We have not been paid since February. We helped the corporation when they were short of hands. We were given contract letters stating that we will be paid. But that has not yet been done. While officials state that they have handed over the amount to the contractors, the latter claim they have not received any money,” said a volunteer not wanting to be named.
Some volunteers are so disheartened that they have decided not to help the corporation during a potential third wave. They also pointed out that the same issue surfaced during the first wave when the BBMP had delayed payments to even medical staffers who had come forward and joined hands with them to help citizens.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta told The New Indian Express that in one or two wards, the system of payment to volunteers was taken up, though it was not a central directive. It was a local initiative and the head office is not well informed of how the services were used.
He said he had heard of the issue in Bommanahalli zone and that details were being sought. In case of the citizens help desk, Gupta clarified, volunteers were roped in from May 1 and one month payment is due which is being cleared at the earliest.
BBMP, Bommanahalli, Joint Commissioner, Ramakrishna said, “Four volunteers per ward were taken and they were told to be paid Rs 10,000 a month. Payments upto May have been done and the remaining will be cleared at the earliest.” He brushed aside the question of having any dispute with the contractors which hired the volunteers.