JMC staff protest curbs on leaving office, attack by guards

: Employees of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) staged a dharna on Tuesday, protesting against restrictions on going out of the office and alleged manhandling by guards.

JMC mayor Ashok Lahoti issued on Monday a directive that no employee can leave the office without permission from department heads.

The employees’ union alleged that home guards manhandled some staff when they were entering the office. “The sit-in was held to protest against the manhandling of and misbehaviour with employees by home guards,” JMC Employees’ Union president Komal Yadav said.

The sit-in was called off after a meeting between the union representatives and JMC officials, chaired by the mayor. At the meeting, the union representatives did not raise the issue of permission to leave the office. The mayor directed officials to take action against the deployed home guards if they were at fault.

On the mayor’s directive, Yadav said, “JMC has no canteen on the premises; the employees may move out for tea and water, and making slips (permission for going out) for such things may create problems.”

Many employees, refusing to come on record, opposed the mayor’s directive, saying field staff cannot make slips again and again to go out for tea. “The dharna was against the directive and manhandling of staff,” said an employee who sat on dharna outside the mayor’s office.

Lahoti said, “Complaints were received regarding employees’ absence after marking their attendance. Many officials remain absent in the name of going to the information commission, lokayukta office, directorate of local bodies, and so on.”

People’s work get affected because of officials’ absence, he said. “In many cases, files are stuck for months.” An officer in-charge will be appointed who will deal with issues related to human rights, information commission, and so on.

“No employee will leave seat after marking attendance; if someone is required to go out, the section in-charge will give a slip and entry will be made in the movement register,” he said.

“From 3pm to 5pm, public is allowed inside the office for their work; employees have to be present on their seats during that time.”

JAIPUR