PERNEM
Upset that they had not received their salaries for the past few months, staff at the Pernem Municial Council (PMC) staged an agitation with the support of Gomantak Mazdoor Sangh (GMS) outside the PMC building
on Tuesday.
The agitation was later called off after assurances from PMC Chairperson Siddhesh Pednekar that the salaries would be disbursed within three days, while the issue of provident fund would also be resolved.
Supporting the agitation, Goa Forward Party leader Deepak Kalangutkar sought to know how the salaries of municipal workers were not released on time.
“There is a BJP government in the State, the local MLA belongs to BJP and the municipal committee is also supporting the BJP. Despite this, the salaries of PMC staff are pending,” claimed Kalangutkar.
Stating that these workers keep the city clean and work all 365 days in a year, Kalangutkar said their work is neither recognised nor do they get any respect.
“If the government is unable to pay salaries to municipal workers, the municipal council should be converted to a panchayat,’ he said.
GMS President Puti Gaonkar claimed that pending salaries was not the only issue.
“These PMC workers are facing several issues and I have discussed them with the Chief Officer and Pernem Mamlatdar Anand Malik. If the salaries are released on time, the workers will not protest.”
“It is unfair not to pay the salaries even during the Ganesh Chaturthi, which the workers celebrated by taking loans from friends and relatives. Some women workers complained that their husbands have died some years ago, but their retirement salary or pension has not been released in their accounts.”
Gaonkar held talks with PMC Chairperson Siddhesh Pednekar and PMC Chief Officer Anant Malik in the matter.
Pednekar said the PMC has been trying to solve the issues of the workers and efforts have been made to pay salaries on time.
“But paucity of funds forces us to pay the salaries late. However, the pending salaries will be released within three days,” said Pednekar.
Promised to also look into the provident funds, the PMC chairperson said: “The amount was handed over to an agency, which has not invested the amount in the provident fund. The issue will be resolved soon.”
Following the assurances from the PMC chairperson, the PMC staff withdrew their agitation.
