Staff rent out quarters,PCB orders probe

The probe,according to PCB officials,was ordered after it came to the notice of the cantonment board that employees have rented out the accommodations that were provided to them by the board on nominal charges. They said quarters have been rented out by cantonment employees at Solapur Bazar,Kamble Coach House and Shankersheth Road for residential as well as commercial purposes. Although the cantonment board had given the quarters on a nominal monthly rent of Rs 100-200,the employees on their own rented out them at a monthly cost of over Rs 3000. Most of the 250 quarters have been sublet.

PCB vice president Manzoor Nazir Shiekh said the issue also came up for discussion during the recent cantonment board meeting following which an inquiry has been initiated to look into it. “The revenue department of the PCB will conduct the inquiry and action will be taken against the erring employees.”

He said during the recent inspection it was found that the employees have rented out the quarters and weren’t paying even the electricity bills. Although it was found that the subletting was done for residential purposes,officials say they could have been rented out to carry out the retail and other businesses too. Shiekh said the inquiry will uncover the details.

Earlier in the agenda that was circulated before the members,the cantonment board noted that there have been unauthorised occupation of staff quarters and the electricity bills have not also been paid by those putting up at Kamble Coach House quarters. Chief revenue superintendent of the cantonment board,D V Patil,however said that there was no official connivance in the subletting of quarters. “I am not aware of any official connivance. There is,however,the pendancy of bills against the employees who are being asked to pay them,” he said.

Cantonment board member Karan Makwani said this was one major blatant violation of rules. “The quarters are primarily to be occupied by the sanitation staff of the cantonment board. But instead of providing these quarters to the other employees of the cantonment board,they have been rented out by the employees on their own,” said Makwani. He,however,said the responsibility should be fixed against the employees who have been responsible for the lapses.