PMC class IV workers still await raincoats

Days after an alleged purchase and distribution of substandard uniforms to Class IV female employees of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) controversy came to the fore (‘Civic officials issued show-cause notice over poor quality uniforms', August 23), it has been learnt that Class IV workers are yet to get raincoats they were supposed to last October.

Though the civic body spent spent Rs 25 lakh for purchasing raincoats this year, Class IV employees are yet to receive them. Members of the Pune Municipal Workers Union (PMWU) frequently raised the issue with the PMC officials, informing them that Class IV workers are still awaiting raincoats they supposed to receive in October.

But it appears their voices have fallen on deaf ears, as employees are seen working in the rain without rainwear. PMWU President Mukta Manohar said it was mandatory for the PMC to provide good quality raincoats to all Class IV workers once in two years.

"As these workers are engaged in physical hardships, it is expected that they should get good quality raincoats. However, the raincoats provided two years ago were of poor quality. Since then the workers haven't received new raincoats, which is forcing them to work without proper rainwear," Manohar said.

On asked about the delay in distribution of the raincoats, PMC Central Store Department Head Jayant Pawar said the raincoats were sent to a Mumbai lab for quality check and would distributed among the workers next week.

"The process of buying raincoats is lengthy and they have to be certified by the laboratory in Mumbai. This whole process takes time and therefore the distribution process gets delayed," Pawar said.

Though the total number of Class IV employees in the PMC is 8,000, it has been learnt that the department purchased just 4,000 raincoats. "We provide raincoats only to permanent employees who have completed three years of service in the PMC," Pawar said. u00a0