VRISHANK MAHATME
vrishank@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Commissioner of the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) has decided to deduct two days wages of the workers responsible for keeping the city clean.
This decision was taken by the commissioner following a surprise inspection on Sunday, wherein he found the city dirty despite the workers being on duty.
Later, during an ordinary meeting of the city corporation, he sought and obtained the approval of the corporators to deduct two days wages of the workers responsible for keeping the city clean.
However, the workers said that they are completely dependent on the daily wages received from the City Corporation, as such, if their wages are deducted, they would be adversely affected.
“I do not know on what basis the CCP is deducting our wages; if it does so, it will affect us very badly. Our entire bread and butter are dependent on those wages as it is our only source of income. This is complete injustice, we regularly clean the areas but later it can become dirty again with leaves falling and tourists littering the place,” said a daily wage worker.
Another daily wage worker had this to say: “We regularly do our jobs in the morning. We maintain the city clean and in the afternoon we go to places for garbage collection so after that if there is littering; how can we be held responsible. We will be in a problem if our wages get cut; how will we survive? It (waged deduction) is not a problem for permanent employees as they earn double of what we get.”
Calling it injustice some of the workers also complained as to why the supervisors are not being questioned and their salaries are not being deducted.
“It is complete injustice, only the lower rung staffers have to suffer. I am the only bread winner in my house. How will we manage the entire month?” a worker asked.
“There is no need for any inquiry; I do not need any clarification on the issue as during the surprise visit I have seen with my eyes that the city was dirty. Not only the salaries of daily wage workers but also permanent labourers will be deducted,” Roy told Herald.
Meanwhile, Goa Municipal Employees Association (GMEA) President Keshav Prabhu has said that he would be meeting the CCP Mayor to sort out the issue
“This is complete injustice. How can the CCP take such a decision to deduct wages? I will be meeting the CCP Mayor and the Commissioner on these issues. The daily wage workers do not have a union, they come under us,” Prabhu said.
