Ravi Dhaliwal
Batala, January 2
AAP MLA from Batala Sherry Kalsi today conducted a raid on the local Municipal Corporation (MC) and much to his dismay found 60 per cent of the employees absent.
The legislator had been assured on several occasions in the past that all is well with the MC, that the employees were disciplined and arrived on time. However, he decided to check the facts for himself today and reached the MC premises around 9.30 am.
He spent an hour making a round of the entire complex.
The employees forwarded various reasons ranging from the logical to the ridiculous. A majority said that they were “trapped at their houses because of the dense fog.” Others said that they could not make it on time because “they thought there would be nobody to check them today being the first day of the new year.” Some cited household exigencies while others simply remained quiet when the MLA asked the reason for their absence.
A particular feature, according to Kalsi, was the “comradeship” displayed by the employees. “They stoutly defended each other’s absence,” he said.
The MLA said he would be regularly visiting government offices where public dealing takes place to improve efficiency.
“I told them that we all have remained absent from work for one reason or the other. Some are absent more than others but when it takes place on a regular basis, then absenteeism becomes a noticeable problem for the MC. This sort of attitude has to be replaced with punctuality and discipline. The MC is an office which deals directly with the public. If these employees are absent, the work of the common man will be hit. And that is the last thing I want. An employee who is regular and punctual will surely taste success in all walks of life,” he said.
