Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 4: New City Corporation commissioner Sameer Shukla has got scent of a caucus working to swindle money from the Corporation coffers. The modus operandi of the group is simple; hiring unusually large number of daily wage workers for certain departments where they know, the control has not been enough.

The City Corporation had 249 persons working as labourers and gangmen on daily wage basis in the year 2006. By this year, this figure has swelled to 460. The commissioner has found that many people have been hired just to on-and-off the switches at the water supply pump houses.

Shukla, who wanted to assess the workload, found to his dismay that 20 persons were employed at the Thumbe pump house, just to put on and switch off the water pump. The commissioner, taking umbrage at the gross irregularity, has ordered for immediate pruning down of the daily wagers to bare minimum.

It is said that some pump operators work as autorickshaw drivers, who switch on the pump while going for duties and put the pump off while returning for lunch. Some officers are said to have been pocketing the wages by sighting names of some of their assistants. The commissioner has warned the corrupt officials that he would not hesitate to take strict action if any irregularities are found.