Nashik: The health department of Nashik Municipal Corporation issued notices to 160 sanitary workers who were absent for work during Diwali without permission. A day’s salary has been deducted. One sweeper was found to have engaged a proxy to take his place — the sweeper, his supervisor and the sanitary inspector have all been suspended.“We conducted a surprise visit across the city on Tuesday morning. We found 160 sanitary workers had absented themselves without permission for leave during Diwali. There were 207 sanitary workers who had sought leave during Diwali,” an NMC official said. The inspection squads visited attendance sheds across the city at 7 am, taking the sanitary workers by surprise.He said action was taken against erring workers without delay — on Monday evening, it was decided that notices would be slapped against them and one day’s salary deducted.“On Wednesday morning we issued the notices. We also found that one sweeper had used a proxy for his work on Tuesday. We issued suspension notices to him, his supervisor and the sanitary inspector,” the officer said.Some politicians commented that the absence of the sanitation workers did not adversely affect the cleanliness of the city during the festive season. The official defended action against the workers, saying the comments of politicians could not justify unlawful absenteeism.“We instructed officials to take extra efforts during the festive season as there would be leftover of crackers and other material,” the officer said.Of the 1,993 approved posts of sanitary workers, 1,550 currently work in this job, with the rest vacant. NMC plans to appoint an agency to provide 700 sanitary workers to meet the shortfall and also reduce the burden on these 1,550.“We gave published a tender. This will not affect the job of the existing sanitary workers, as feared by them,” the official said.

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