Just a few days after Urban Development Minister CP Singh warned officials of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) on delaying payments to labourers, councillors on Monday erupted in anger over the issue and laid the blame for the delay on the administration during the board meeting of the corporation.
Cheques were tossed in the air to protest the delay in payments putting the administration on defensive. The issue is at the core of the dismal solid waste management system in the Capital and thus the board decided to identify banks responsible for delaying cheques with the intent of blacklisting such banks.
“let us identify those banks who delay in processing the cheques. We will blacklist them for delayed action if we find no satisfactory reasons for the delay. It seems that they wish to keep the money as long with them as possible,” said Deputy Mayor, Sanjeev Vijayvargiya.
As many as 1,600 workers are engaged in lifting of garbages and other types of work being done by the corporation through 55 ward councillors. Payment to the labourers employed for doing menial jobs is made in two parts—once in a fortnight—however with the protest getting stronger the administration assured to expedite the process and find out a plausible solution to the problem.
“I assure you that payment of first fortnight will be made between 16 and 20 of each month and payment for the later fortnight will be given between 1 and 5 of the next month,” assured CEO of RMC, Manoj Kumar.
Earlier, councillors embarrassed the officials of the RMC by tossing the cheques and charged the administration of adopting Ostrich mentality while the storm over delayed payment is getting stronger. The councillors expressed fear that waste management system will deteriorate further if labourers are not paid on time.
“Our labourers are throwing cheques at our faces saying that these are not being cleared in time. Despite repeated request to look into the matter nothing has been done to address the problem. Why will any labourer workIJ” yelled councillor of ward-6, Ashok Khalkho.
Incidentally, the RMC board also passed resolutions to increase transparency in the functioning of the urban civic body and also apprising the board of all expenses made for development works besides allocation of resources in each municipal ward.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of RMC, Ranchi MP Ram Tahal Chaudhary attended the meeting of the board and urged the ward councillors to work with a vision for the Capital. He appealed to the board and officials to see that the problem between elected representatives and officials of the RMC is resolved amicably and Ranchi is made a clean and beautiful city.
Kanke MlA Jitu Charan Ram was another surprise element in Monday’s meeting. Ram was invited by councillors of six wards that come under Kanke Assembly constituency. The Kanke MlA assured the councillors of putting up their genuine concerns at right forum and at right time.