Korpana Nagar Panchayat sanitation workers' PF and unpaid wages probed; contractors skip inquiry

Korpana Nagar Panchayat in Chandrapur district is already in the news over irregularities in solid waste management and a provident fund (PF) scam. To probe complaints from sanitation workers, Trupti Dohe, an inspector from the Assistant Commissioner (Enforcement) Officer's office, visited the nagar panchayat.

The complaint is that the workers' PF amounts were not deposited regularly in their accounts. The workers have been handling solid waste management, sanitation, sewage and disposal of dead animals since 2018-19. A preliminary inquiry has found that for many years the contractor agencies, Bhushan Itankar and Rakshak Security, caused the workers financial loss, committed irregularities and, against the rules, misappropriated and used PF money.

Contractor Bhushan Itankar said over the phone that he has paid Rs 15 lakh towards PF. But according to the inspector, the challans and authorised documents required under the provident fund law have not been submitted to her office.

Chief Officer Ram Rawate said the contractors had submitted bills but had not given any paper showing PF was paid. For this reason, the workers' wages have been withheld for the past three to four months.

The contractors were told to produce for inspection the complete documents relating to the contract records, the wage entry register, PF challans and UAN accounts. However, both contractors were absent at the time of the inquiry. The inspector took this seriously and said the office would send both a letter. She also said legal action would follow if serious irregularities were found.

The inspector also told the nagar panchayat to give the contractors proper instructions and get the documents submitted. Health Inspector Shankar Tandra was asked why bills were submitted without confirming that PF had been paid, and the Chief Officer was directed to obtain full details and present them.

The inspector said the exploitation of workers, the agency not paying wages for four months and the discrepancy in wages were all serious matters. Under government policy, PF must be deposited every time within the wage period itself. Despite this, the contractor was irregular, and for the past seven to eight years there has been neglect in paying PF and informing workers about it. Hinting at serious action, she said the agencies would be asked to respond and appropriate legal action would be taken.

The inspector said this before the workers at the nagar panchayat today. To settle the matter quickly, directions were given to submit the necessary documents to the office, and the workers were assured of proper justice.

Present on the occasion were Nationalist Congress Party state secretary Abid Ali, Chief Officer Ram Rawate, Health Inspector Shankar Pandhra, and workers Anandrao Apte, Sudhakar Atram, Bandu Lasante, Pandurang Meshram, Badal Bhagat and others.