Punjab’s new reservation policy renders 170 Mohali MC employees jobless

As many as 170 outsourced employees hired by a private contractor protested at the municipal corporation (MC) office after receiving pink slips from the newly-hired outsource agency.

The outsourced staff was working in varied MC departments, including clerical, fire, sweeping, cremation and burial service, among others.

Addressing the issue, the agency official said they were simply following the civic body’s directions. Notably, MC had instructed the agency to follow the reservation policy implemented by the state government. With the current composition not being in accordance with the new roster, which came into effect on Wednesday, the contractual staff were rendered jobless.

Mayor blasts govt

The orders not only paralysed civic work, but also hit the crematorium and cemetery services, as those who came to bury or cremate the dead faced inconvenience due to the absence of employees.

The matter soon also snowballed into a political controversy after mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu accused the ruling AAP of snatching the staff’s livelihood from them.

Sidhu said he had met the employees and assured them that no one will lose their job.

“Before coming to power, AAP had promised to generate jobs, but now, it’s snatching jobs from youngsters who are working on meagre salaries of ₹10,000 per month,” he added.

Echoing the sentiment, deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said the AAP government could have avoided imposing the reservation policy, adding, “It was only on Tuesday morning that AAP legislator Kulwant Singh conducted a meeting with MC staff and by evening 170 outsourced employees were sacked. However, we will try our best that no one loses their job due to the implementation of the new policy.”

Left in limbo

Speaking of their ordeal, Rajinderpal Singh, an outsourced employee with the fire department said, “Last night we received a message that our services have been terminated. There are 48 outsourced employees in the fire department. Our services have been terminated without prior notice.”

Amanjot Singh, another fire department employee, said the shock came after the staff having worked with full dedication on meagre salaries for the past eight years, “We have nowhere else to go. At least those working should have been considered.”

Addressing the issue, MC commissioner Navjot Kaur said the outsourced employees were working for a private contractor.

When asked about sending out the notices, sampark service centre manager Harminder Singh said they were bound by the government guidelines.