Conservancy workers, who thought they could rest on retirement after having swept city streets, collected garbage and cleaned drainage for good 25 – 30 years are not having a good time.
Or the Coimbatore Corporation is not letting them have one. Or is delaying it, as its financial woes are preventing it from giving retirement benefits in full to the workers.
There are around 150 conservancy workers who have not received their retirement benefits in full, says K. Rathinakumar, state deputy general secretary, Kovai Mavatta Oorga Valarchi Ullatchi Thurai Oozhiyar Sangam, a CITU-affiliated workers’ union.
The Corporation that is supposed to pay gratuity, provident fund, special provident fund and earned leave to the workers is paying only 50% at retirement.
It is paying the remaining half in instalments and delaying pension disbursement as well, complains E.R.A. Selvam, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Annal Ambedkar Sugadhara Thuppuravu Matrum Podhu Paniyalar Sangam.
It has been so since June 2019, he points out.
As a result several workers are at the mercy of their children or looking for other menial jobs, Mr. Rathinakumar adds.
Though the associations have talked to the Coimbatore Corporation officials they are unable to help the workers because the officials cite poor financial position.
Another impact of the poor financial health is that the Corporation is yet to clear contractors’ dues amounting to ₹80 crore to ₹90 crore, say sources in the know.
The sources also reveal that even for paying salaries the Corporation stops other payments after the 15th of every month so that it accrues money in the next 15 day to pay salary by the month-end or the first of the subsequent month.
Former Deputy Mayor and Sinanallur MLA N. Karthik blames Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani for the mess. From around ₹250 crore deposit in banks until a few years ago the Corporation has become a financial weakling because of mismanagement and it is due to the Minister.
It is because the Corporation is unable to pay contractors that works are progressing in a very slow pace, he says and points out that no where in the country is a city where the local body is executing underground drainage scheme for a good 10 years.
Corporation officials, on condition of anonymity, say the delay in disbursing retirement benefits is because 150 workers retired at a time leaving a heavy burden. There is no delay is crediting salaries to employees’ account and the Corporation will clear contractors’ dues once more property tax starts coming in.
With another 45-odd days for the financial year end, the Corporation expects more money to come in under the ‘property tax’ head and therefore there is not going to be any problem, they add.
But the sources say the impact of tight or rather poor financial health is not limited to salary or retirement benefit payment; it also limits the civic body’s ability to have a development vision for the city or plan any big-ticket projects.
