Mumbai: A week after an Assistant Engineer (AE) of H-West ward was allegedly locked out of his cabin, the Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) and municipal labour union launched a protest outside the ward office in Khar West on Monday demanding strict administrative action against the Assistant Municipal Commissioner, Vinayak Vispute.
“Time and again there are complaints against the high-handedness of ward officer Vispute. The latest instance is his verbal orders to lock AE Sachin Hanamdhar’s cabin and his transfer defying BMC Commissioner’s Stay Order. It is nothing but personal vengeance,” Chairman of MEA, Ramesh Deshmukh said.
FPJ had reported on January 1 that Ward Officer Vispute allegedly locked out AE Hanamdhar after an internal dispute over his latter’s transfer.
Speaking with FPJ on Monday, Vispute denied all allegations made by the engineers union and said, “The AE’s transfer is well within rules and does not defy the commissioner’s order. To date, the AE and the union members have not approached me or written to me raising their objections. I have no personal issues with AE Hanamdhar. He was relieved along with four other engineers.” Vispute added that it is an ‘indiscipline’ of the AE not to join his new department despite relieving from H-West ward.
Municipal Engineers Association protest in front of H-West ward office in Khar West | File Photo
As per the sources, AE Hanamdhar has not received his salary for the month of December 2024 on verbal orders of Vispute. While, a letter in possession of FPJ reads that the security staff was verbally ordered by Vispute to lock Hanamdhar’s cabin as he is transferred from H-West ward.
Activist Aftab Siddiqui who was the first to flag the unjust treatment to Hanamdhar said, “Locking AE Maintenance’s office, blocking him from staff's WhatApp group, not sanctioning his salary is not only a sorry state of affair but a childish behavior by an Assistant Municipal Commissioner. I have written to Additional Municipal Commissioners demanding an inquiry into this matter.”
Municipal Engineers Association protest in front of H-West ward office in Khar West | File Photo
Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Vishwas Mote said, “I will be arranging a meeting with the union and hear their objections. I am yet to enquire full about the issue.”
Meanwhile, the BMC Engineers Association will hold a meeting on Tuesday to take a call on intensifying their protest. “We plan on an indefinite strike if appropriate administrative action is not taken against Vispute,” Deshmukh said.
