Pune
Mirror: Pune: Tuesday, 05 January 2016.
Transport
body promoting clerical, cleaning staff with little or no experience to higher
positions, citing shortage of manpower.
Shortage of
staff has been just one of the many woes plaguing Pune Mahanagar Parivahan
Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) for long; but, it now appears that the transport
body has even resorted to promoting employees with scant regard for experience
or qualification. The transport body claims a paucity of staff has forced its
administration to take such desperate measures.
A query filed
under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Sunil Nalawade, secretary of the
PMPML Nationalist Maharashtra General Worker Union, has brought to light over
30 cases of illegal promotions over the last 10 years. An inquiry is currently
on at the Pune divisional commissioner's office over a complaint lodged by the
union.
The cases are
startlingly similar in nature usually clerical and cleaning staff being pushed
up to far higher posts within a short span.
For instance,
Nitin Vambure, currently working as PMPML cleanliness officer, joined as a
cleaner in 1991 and was promoted to sanitary inspector in 1997. In October
2007, an entirely new post was created for him that of cleanliness department head. He was
given a certificate for having attended a 'sanitary inspector course' and
promoted after a mere five years of sanitary experience. Similarly, Asif Zhari,
having passed his SSC exams, joined the transport body as a peon in 1989. In
1994, he jumped to junior clerk. Since 2007, he has been working as personal
assistant to the chairman of PMPML.
Then there's
Shantaram Waghere, who joined as a conductor and was promoted to senior clerk
without any experience in the accounts department. He now holds the additional
charge of depot manager at Nehru Nagar Depot.
Then there is
Shirish Kalekar, who joined as a cleaner in 1992 and was promoted to wireless
operator on the basis of a BCom degree and a 'radio transistor course'.
Currently, he is vigilance officer at PMPML's head office at Swargate.
Another interesting
promotion from junior clerk to depot manager is that of V S Shitole. Shitole
started out as a junior clerk with an MCom degree and was promoted to
time-table inspector. Later, he became depot manager at the Hadapsar depot,
despite rules that the post demands a candidate with a technical background.
Then, there
is Govind Hande, who joined as a driver, was promoted to typist and now works
as the advertisement department head and also personal assistant to the
chairman and managing director (CMD).
Ganesh
Kawthekar, who joined the earlier PCMT as a cleaner, was then promoted to
hunter driver (extra driver) and is currently working as personal assistant to
the mayor of Pimpri Chinchwad.
Finally,
there is S G Gaikwad, who joined as a cleaner in 1988 and was promoted to
junior clerk in 1991. In November 2008, he was directly promoted to internal
administration inquiry officer, considering his qualifications of BCom and LLB.
However, rules state that this post should be held by someone from outside the
organisation to ensure inquiries are not manipulated.
Sunil
Nalawade, who filed the RTI and lodged a complaint with the divisional
commissioner's office, said, "We came to know of this issue from the
employees and immediately filed an RTI. The reply from the PMPML administration
was shocking our complaint is mainly against T S Dharurkar, PMPML general
manager (operations and engineering) who is behind all these promotions. People
who are close to him get promoted to higher positions without any required qualification
or seniority. There are others who are far more deserving and have not been
promoted in 20-30 years."
Dharurkar,
however, refused to comment, saying merely, "All promotions are overseen
by the CMD and the board of directors."
PMPML chairman
and managing director (CMD) Abhishek Krishna told Mirror, "These
promotions have been given by the administration on a temporary basis, as we
are currently short on staff. Also, a case is on at the divisional
commissioner's office, so I cannot comment further."
Those who got
the promotions are however staunchly defending their own hard work. Said
Yashwant Hinge, "I am carrying out my work as a typist and also looking
after the contract buses department. The post was vacant and the administration
gave me the responsibility." Another one, on condition of anonymity, said,
"All of this has been done according to the rules and permissions of the
CMD and board of directors. No one can change these promotions now there are at
least 35 people, who have been promoted under such circumstances."
█ These
promotions have been given by the administration on a temporary basis, as we
are currently short on staff. Also, a case is on at the divisional
commissioner's office, so I cannot comment further : Abhishek
Krishna CMD, PMPML
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