Bengaluru civic staff face dismissal for chronic absenteeism, warns minister
Karnataka minister warns civic workers of dismissal for repeated absenteeism; new waste plan aims to boost daily collection capacity to 9,000 tonnes.
Civic workers in Bengaluru who repeatedly skip duty could lose their jobs, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Saturday. He was speaking after a meeting with MPs, MLAs, and MLCs on civic issues at Vidhana Soudha.
Gowda said nearly 30% of civic workers deployed across the city are not reporting for work regularly. He announced a three-notice process before any dismissal action is initiated under service rules.
"Door-to-door garbage collection is a primary responsibility of these workers," Gowda said, adding that absenteeism is directly contributing to the rise of new garbage black spots. "If 30% of civic workers do not report for work every day, how can we keep the city clean?" he asked.
New waste management plan
Gowda outlined a revamped waste management system. Of the 33 waste management packages formulated, 21 have been approved. Work orders are being issued to contractors, who have been directed to begin operations within two months.
The new system will replace existing auto-tippers (around one-tonne capacity) with three-tonne vehicles. GPS tracking will be mandatory, with each vehicle assigned a fixed daily route.
"The city currently collects around 5,200 tonnes of waste a day. This will be increased to about 9,000 tonnes a day under the new system," the Minister said. Every household will receive doorstep collection; residents who miss the designated time can leave garbage bags on their compound wall or grill for staff to pick up. A public awareness campaign will accompany the rollout.
Separately, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has engaged contractors to remove abandoned vehicles from public spaces. Gowda urged elected representatives to monitor the process and report issues, and also to oversee garbage clearance and cleaning of private vacant sites.
Union reaction
The Karnataka State Municipal Workers' Union condemned Gowda's remarks on absenteeism, calling them reflective of a "feudal mindset." Union general secretary Syed Mujeeb questioned the role of supervisors if absenteeism is indeed at 30%, and said action should target those not working rather than insulting the entire workforce. The union asserted that a minister should not turn individual lapses into collective humiliation.