Drive to remove illegal hoardings halted after civic worker’s death

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The civic employees began removing illegal hoardings on Saturday morning with evident apprehension. Shortly after the drive commenced, Amol Jadhav (a Class IV municipal employee), died and one another sustained burnt his hands in Sanjaynagar-Mukundwadi. Following the incident, the anti-hoarding operation was immediately suspended. Both the deceased and the seriously injured employee had joined the municipal corporation only 11 months earlier through the Laad-Page Committee recruitment process.

Earlier in the week, municipal commissioner G Sreekanth had announced on Tuesday that all unauthorised hoardings in the city would be removed within two days. On Saturday morning, several zone officers initiated action and directed staff to begin removing the structures. In Zone No. 6, zone officer Prasad Deshpande assigned Amol Jadhav and Ravi Ridlon to the task of dismantling a hoarding. News of the incident spread rapidly among municipal officials and staff. Thereafter, zone offices halted the removal campaign.

According to sources in the CSMC establishment section, following the recommendations of the Laad-Page Committee, Amol Jadhav had been appointed in place of his mother, while Ravi Ridlon had been appointed in place of his father. Their appointments were made in April 2025. Jadhav had completed only 09 months in service.

₹1.15 crore compensation

The municipal corporation had entrusted a private bank with the responsibility of processing employees’ salaries under a contractual arrangement. As part of this agreement, the bank provides ₹1.5 crore in the event of an accidental death of an employee while in service, and ₹ 5 lakh in case of natural death.

According to chief accounts and finance officer (CAFO) Santosh Wahule, families of 26 employees have benefited from this scheme so far.

Amol Jadhav’s family will receive ₹1.5 crore under the policy, while the municipal corporation will bear the medical expenses of the injured employee.