The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) would seek clarification from the government whether the outsourced employees were eligible for earned leave and maternity leave like the permanent staff, said Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu on Tuesday.
Participating in a meeting called by K.B. Krishna Murthy, Member, National Safai Karmachari Commission on Tuesday to review the welfare activities by different departments for the scavengers, he explained that as per the Government guidelines, outsourced staff was entitled for a day’s paid leave in a week.
Mr. Murthy had suggested extending six months maternity leave, earned leave and casual leave to the outsourced staff on par with the permanent employees.
He wanted the Municipal Corporation and the Water Board to pay extra care towards the welfare of the ‘safai karmacharis’ since they, like the police, drive away diseases from the localities.
The Commissioner also informed him that the civic body has 18,000 outsourced employees as the government had instructed against filling Group D posts though there were 6,000 vacancies.
But, about 100 persons were being appointed on a permanent basis on compassionate grounds.
He promised to verify reports of open defecation and take up preventive measures.
EPF accounts
Mr. Krishna Babu explained that EPF accounts were being maintained effectively for the outsourced staff with the help of a third party agency.
Manual scavenging was completely abolished and dry latrines have been removed too, an official spokesperson informed.
Associations representing the ‘safai karmacharis’ appealed for construction of a community hall in Sultanshahi and allocation of shops in commercial complexes belonging to the GHMC.
The Commissioner pointed out that 15 per cent quota was available for SCs and seven per cent for STs in allotment of the shops and that he had no problem with the hall construction provided planning wing gives permission.
However, Mr. Krishna Murthy was annoyed over the absence of senior police officials and demanded data on the number of scavengers killed while on duty, to be submitted in a fortnight.
Keywords: GHMC
