Mayor sacked us, allege GHMC staff

Certain outsourced employees of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Khairatabad zone, have accused city mayor Gadwal R. Vijayalakshmi of sacking them and allegedly appointing her favourites to the posts snatched away from them.

One of them, V. Bharati, said after she had tested positive for Coronavirus on April 21, she had to undergo treatment and remain in quarantine for two weeks. Another worker Rama Devi said that she had to take care of her mother who had been undergoing treatment for Covid-19 treatment. Both Bharati and Rama Devi alleged that they had been sacked from their posts on charges that they had absented themselves for a very long time, when the fact is that they had taken permission from higher authorities for the absence. The two employees maintained that they are still sweeping the city roads, which has been their job for 15 years. Another employee removed is sanitary field assistant (SFA) Sai Baba.

The three have charged that after they had been removed, the same posts have been given to followers of the mayor.

When contacted, a senior GHMC official, requesting anonymity, said over 20 workers had been sacked within the GHMC limits for various reasons, including political pressure. He, however, maintained that an enquiry will be conducted into the allegations and refused to comment further.

When Deccan Chronicle tried to contact mayor Vijayalakshmi multiple times for a clarification on the issue, she was busy. However, an official release subsequently maintained that employees had been sacked for not attending duties from January to April. The release accused SFA Sai Baba of manipulated biometric attendance and showing employees as present.

Citing these irregularities, circle 18 deputy commissioner Seva Eslavath conducted an internal enquiry and removed the employees from duties. He, however, clarified that the vacant positions have not yet been filled by anyone.