More than 25 applications from the heirs of sanitation workers for appointment in the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation have reportedly remained pending for a year, despite a state government requirement that such cases be decided within one month of receiving an application.
The Bharatiya Kamgar Sena has asked the municipal commissioner to investigate the delay and take action against officials responsible. The union has also sought a clear decision from the civic administration on the pending cases and information for applicants about the status of their applications.
The appointments are covered by government orders providing for the recruitment of an eligible heir after a sanitation worker retires. The provision is based on the recommendations of the Lad-Pange Committee and is intended to protect the livelihood of sanitation workers’ families after retirement, according to the report.
Several sanitation workers’ heirs are reported to have submitted applications to the Mira-Bhayandar civic body over the past year. Some cases have been resolved, but the union claims that more than 25 nominated cases are still pending. Under the government instructions cited in the report, applications are expected to be disposed of within a month.
The reported delay has continued even though some posts in the municipal corporation are vacant and the civic body requires additional manpower, the union said. The report did not provide the total number of vacant posts, the number of applications received or the precise reasons recorded by the administration for keeping the cases pending.
The union also alleged that applicants had not been informed about the action taken on their cases. It pointed to earlier appointments made through the nomination process and demanded that the corporation explain why the current cases had not been completed within the prescribed period.
The issue highlights the administrative dependence of municipal sanitation services on timely recruitment and the vulnerability of families whose livelihood is linked to public employment. Sanitation workers perform an essential civic function, while delays in processing their heirs’ appointments can leave both applicants and municipal departments uncertain about staffing and household income.
The Bharatiya Kamgar Sena has asked the municipal commissioner to order an inquiry into the officials responsible for delaying the appointments and to initiate action in accordance with the government orders. The next step rests with the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, which is expected to clarify the status of each pending application and communicate its decisions to the applicants.
