Lower-level staff rules the roost at TMA

Several Grade-4 officials perform duties at important positions

HARIPUR:

The Town Municipal Authority (TMA) Haripur, one of the highest revenue-collecting entities in the whole province, has been suffering from mismanagement as it has slipped into the hands of low-cadre employees, who run its day-to-day affairs through alleged corruption.

Credible sources said that a large number of grade-4 employees have been assigned duties to collect taxes, who allegedly take bribes from people to help them evade taxes.

Reliable sources revealed that these low-cadre officials have fixed different bribery rates for different works.

The sources said that Tehsil Chairman Sami Ullah Khan and the Haripur deputy commissioner have also failed to take action against the corrupt officials despite repeated complaints.

The sources said that for a long time neither any departmental action has been taken against any of the TMA’s corrupt officials nor any inquiry has been conducted to date.

Sources said that class-4 cadre officials have long been performing duties in important positions in TMA Haripur and high-ups were reluctant to take action against them due to their political backing and influence.

According to the sources, Hamza, a class-4 employee and a fireman, has occupied the seat of the TMA building inspector who was also allegedly involved in corruption. Muhammad Saleem, who is a gardener, is currently working as in-charge TMA security in Haripur. Muhammad Ali, who is a "tube well operator", is currently working as a junior clerk in the TMA. Zahid and Shehzad, sanitary workers, are working as building inspectors with the backing of the TOI.

The sources said that Sadaqat, a gardener, has been working as a building inspector. Junaid, a tube well operator, has been working as a building inspector. Awais Mukhtiar, a sanitary worker, has been working as a computer operator. Owais Khan Tareen, a tube well operator, has been working in the accounts branch. Qasim Sardar, a tube well operator, is allegedly playing a front man's role for the department's top officials.

Wajahat Ullah, who was employed as a janitor staff, does not show up for work but he allegedly gets his salary regularly. Saeed, a driver also does not show up for work, but allegedly receives a salary from home.

Qamar Shah, who was recruited in scale-3, but, he is currently working as an assistant building inspector. He goes out to check maps of the citizens' houses, the sources said.

Rameez is posted is a sanitary worker and has been working in the accounts branch as a payroll accountant. Naveed, a sanitary worker has been working as a computer operator. Zafar, a tube well operator, has been performing the duty of the computer operator in the building branch, the sources said.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former Nazim Haripur Imran Alizai said that TMA Haripur has become a white elephant. He said that no TMA officers can dare to ‘disturb’ these lower cadre staff and in case an officer dares to exercise his powers, he is either transferred or falsely implicated in NAB cases.

He said that local politicians have turned the TMA Haripur into their ‘housemaid’. He said that it was because of this political interference that corrupt mafias were sucking the blood of the locals. He also alleged that TMA's machinery and funds were being used for PTI's political campaigns. He said that they have videos in which TMA officials could be seen participating in PTI rallies and chanting slogans in its favour.

He said that all funds and contracts were awarded to politicians' near and dear ones in violation of merit.

He said that class-4 employees enjoy the protocol like the prime minister and sanitary staffers enjoy the protocol of the chief minister.

“How will the citizens be treated in this department? TMA officials by collecting a revenue of millions of rupees have been treating the residents disdainfully. All recruitments are being done illegally,” he alleged.

He said that the TMA officers do not have any powers. Their salaries are being paid from somewhere else. He said that daily wage employees have been delegated more powers as compared to the deputy commissioner.

Several TMA top officers were approved to get their version, but no one was forthcoming to give their point of view on the issue as they said: “they want to stay in their seats” and could not antagonise those who have assigned these lower-cadre staff different duties.

On the other hand, Chairman Samiullah Khan said that there were flaws “but we do take immediate action on the citizens’ complaints”.

Locals have demanded of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and the commissioner Hazara to take notice of the alleged malpractices in the TMA Haripur and order an inquiry into the alleged corruption.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2022.