Fuel theft: Ludhiana employees union comes in support of suspended employees; NGO seeks termination

The Municipal Employees Sangharsh Committee has extended its support to three employees who were suspended by municipal commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in fuel theft. The suspended staffers include a chief sanitary inspector and two sanitary inspectors.

During the union’s protest over non-fulfilment of long-pending demands outside MC headquarters on Friday, they handed over a memorandum to mayor Balkar Sandhu, in which they also sought roll back of the suspension orders.

Chairman of the union, Ashwani Sahota, said, “The union has demanded that the suspension orders be revoked immediately. We believe that these employees were not involved in the fuel theft.”

Sabharwal had ordered the suspension of chief sanitary inspector Jagtar Singh, and two sanitary inspectors, Gurinder Singh and Satinderjit Singh Bawa, on Wednesday after their role in fuel theft was pointed out in an inquiry conducted by MC joint commissioner Swati Tiwana.

The inquiry was marked on the recommendations of mayor Balkar Sandhu. The employees were accused of getting fuel allocated against defunct tractors.

NGO seeks termination of employees

While the employees’ union is demanding revocation of suspension orders, the members of an NGO, Yuva, staged a protest outside the MC’s Zone-D office on Friday demanding termination of services of these employees.

President of the NGO, Kumar Gaurav, said that the employees are guilty of stealing fuel and the civic body should set an example by terminating their services so that others don’t get involved in these illegal practices.

The MC employees steal fuel and sell it off at lower rates in the market, alleged Gaurav.