Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai was also informed by aggrieved workers that none of the 58 contract workers have been provided with ESI cards even though Rs 47.40 has been deducted per day from their wages as ESI and PF contribution.
All 58 workers on Thursday submitted a memorandum to Phaldessai and complained about the hardships faced by them due to non-payment of their wages by their contractors.
Inquiries revealed that the contract workers employed by the contractors were working for the department to facilitate the release of water in remote areas of Uguem, Bhati, Kalay, Netravali and Rivona, where the services of full-time department employees could not be made available.
When Phaldessai went to question Assistant Engineer Gurunath Bisarhalli and Junior Engineer Vincent D’Souza over the non-payment of wages to the contract labourers, the officials failed to give a positive reply and pushed the blame on the contractors.
Phaldessai then contacted one of the contractors by phone and the contractor feigned ignorance over the number of labourers employed by him, leaving Phaldessai visibly annoyed over the blame-game by the contractor and the officials.
