MCG terminates services of former public officials

Gurugram: Facing heavy criticism over the matter, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has terminated the services of all six consultants who were retired public officials.

The consultants were working under a contractual agreement with the MCG since 2017. Councillors had repeatedly asked officials during house meetings to terminate the services of the consultants citing that there was no real requirement of their services and it was only draining the resources of the civic body.

The six consultants were engaged for use of plastic waste and decentralised composting, taxation, land revenue, structural engineering, engineering, and Swachh Bharat mission. According to sources in MCG, each consultant was drawing a monthly salary in excess of Rs 1 lakh.

"During the MCG house meetings, various councillors had repeatedly raised the issue of terminating the services of consultants. Taking cognisance of this, MCG commissioner Amit Khatri terminated the services of six consultants with immediate effect," said SS Rohilla, spokesperson MCG.

Last year in April Former MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav had also removed four consultants after realising that there was no requirement of their services in the civic body.

"The six consultants were drawing a cumulative annual salary of nearly Rs 1 crore. Councillors had observed that they were not contributing to the MCG in a significant manner, and the officials within the MCG were competent enough. Hence, instead of draining public resources the issue of terminating their services were raised repeatedly," said RS Rathee, councillor of Ward 34.

The development comes just four days after MCG had terminated the services of a consultant tehsildar for allegedly impersonating an employee of the enforcement wing and extorting money from residents.

For long the councillors, as well as activists, have raised accountability issues on the public body. In May MCG has found irregularities in the sanctioning of 35 bills of private contractors by the engineering wing, leading to an inquiry in the matter.

An official document was submitted on the recommendation to the state government for filing a charge sheet against two executive engineers for laxity in services.