Salaries of 200 civic personnel halted on refusal to donate day’s salary for flood victims

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The municipal corporation had decided that all its employees would donate one day’s salary to aid flood victims. To ensure fairness, the administration gave employees an option to either agree or refuse this deduction. However, around 200 employees chose to opt out. In response, the administration withheld their salaries. With Diwali just around the corner, the affected employees have been left distraught. Even those who later submitted written apologies have not received their pay.

Due to heavy floods across several districts in the state, farmers have suffered significant losses. Wanting to contribute to relief efforts, the municipal corporation resolved to donate one day’s salary from all employees to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. However, since salary deductions cannot be made forcibly, employees were issued forms asking for consent. About 200 employees declined to donate. Consequently, their salaries were not disbursed on October 1. As Diwali approaches, these employees are now facing financial hardship.

Most affected are those in Class III and Class IV positions. Some of them have since submitted apologies to the accounts department and requested that one day's salary be deducted so the remaining amount can be paid. Employees are struggling to manage household expenses, EMIs for homes and vehicles, and other financial obligations.

Sanjay Ragde, president of the workers' union, said, “The employees made a mistake. The administration should forgive them and release their salaries. A written assurance can be taken from them that such an incident won’t happen again, but they should be paid without delay.”