Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Vacancies yet to be filled up

Special Correspondent

Corpn. needs over 1,000 people

COIMBATORE: The lifting of the ban on recruitment to the Revenue Department has led to fresh hopes of moves by the Government to have vacancies in local bodies also filled up to improve their functioning.

Though the order to lift the ban pertains only to the Revenue Department, sources in the Corporation feel that the Government should see the need for filling up vacancies in the civic body.

Pointing out that over 1,000 vacancies in various categories have affected its functioning, they say that filling them up will go a long way in improving the services provided to the public.

Shortage

For instance, out of the sanctioned strength of 2,916 sanitary workers, the Corporation has only 2073. There are 843 vacancies but the Corporation tries to offset the shortage by utilising the services of 787 temporary workers.

The Corporation had cited shortage of conservancy workers as among the reasons that necessitated privatisation of solid waste management. And, they had also attributed it to the ban on direct recruitment. The Opposition in the Corporation Council demanded the regularisation of the temporary workers if the vacancies could not be filled up through recruitment.

The Indian Union Muslim League Councillor, M.S. Mohammed Rafeek, says that the ban would never have applied to the Corporation.

Court moved

Even in a petition moved in the Madras High Court in 2004, he had prayed for directions to the Corporation to fill up the vacancies contending that the Government appointed only Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, City Health Officers and the City Engineers.

"Even now, there is the possibility of the Corporation arguing that only the ban on recruitment to the Revenue Department has been lifted. My contention, based on relevant rules, is that the ban itself never applied to the Corporation."

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