‘If humiliated again,we shall go on strike’

While the immediate provocation for the writing of the letter seems to be the complaint by the BJP against Additional Commissioner-cum-Secretary Lalit Siwach alleging that he supported the Congress in the Mayoral elections,most of the officers allege that it has become routine for councillors to level allegations against officers and humiliate them. The letter written by the officers states,“The behaviour and conduct of the officers was appropriate during the last few meetings. They (the councillors) have started subjecting officers to serious humiliation and are launching personal attacks on the integrity of officers. They (councillors) have started targeting officers for personal vested interests which is unbecoming of the members of the House.”

The letter further states,“It has been resolved that the Commissioner,Municipal Corporation,should be requested that such humiliating attempts may be checked and the councillors should be made to adhere to the Code of Procedure for proceedings of the House as per provisions of Municipal Corporation Act. The unparliamentary language used by the councillors to target officers shall not be tolerated in future.”

The officers pointed out that such humiliation has in the past led officers to seek premature repatriation. Due to such repeated offences,the officers have started refraining themselves from coming to the UT on deputation.

Additional Commissioner Lalit Siwach said that he has been targeted without any reason. “The election of the Mayor were held in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and other officers and councillors. The election was conducted by Brig K S Chandpuri as the presiding officer. The allegations made against me are political in nature. The letter is a mark of revolt by the officials and should be an eye-opener for the Chandigarh Administration,” said Siwach.

The councillors and officers of the Municipal Corporation have been involved in numerous tussles over the past few years. Joint Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar had recently been made to apologise in the House when councillors objected to his ‘laughing’ in the House.

Most of the officers of the civic body including Additional Commissioner TPS Phoolka,Chief Engineer S S Bida and Executive Engineer (Horticulture) Arun Kansal have found themselves at the receiving end,courtesy the councillors’ ‘dominating’ behaviour.

The councillors have also had tussles with Municipal Commissioner Dr Roshan Sunkaria. The inauguration of the Garbage Processing Plant at Dadumajra,study tour to Kerala and inauguration of a green belt are some of the issues that have seen the former Mayors being at loggerheads with the Municipal Commissioner.

Another senior officer of the civic body said that it has started becoming a habit with councillors to humiliate officers. Most officers,even at a senior level,have been made to apologise in the House on frivolous issues. The aim of the letter is to ensure that such instances do not happen in future.