Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jan 18: Two councillors of the Itanagar Municipal Council (IMC) – Gora Lotak and Tatung Tanya – on Thursday alleged that the recent appointment of 19 sanitary assistants was illegal and in excess.
Addressing a press conference here, Lotak claimed that the IMC chief councillor and the chief municipal executive officer (CMEO) illegally appointed 19 sanitary assistants by violating all formalities and procedures.
“Every matter, big or small, should be placed before the business meeting and the empowered standing committee. It needs proper debate and discussion before approval,” said Lotak, Councillor of Ward 18, alleging that the chief councillor unilaterally violated the appointment norms.
Lotak went on to claim that, prior to the appointment there was a walk-in -interview on 27 March, 2015, for appointment of unskilled contingency workers, in which 37 persons were appointed to the post.
“But,” he said, “the new appointees are kith and kin of the current chief councillor and IMC officials, and were directly appointed to the sanctioned posts by replacing old appointees.”
Lotak also said that, as per the norms, the appointment order should be signed by the municipal executive engineer, who heads the sanitation activities.
“But the order has been signed, without maintaining the protocol, by the assistant engineer,” Lotak said.
The councillors demanded immediate suspension of the chief councillor and an inquiry into the alleged illegal appointment.
Meanwhile, IMC CMEO Olik Taring denied the allegation levelled by the councillors and clarified that the appointment was made following the procedures under the wage roll.
He said the appointees have been working with the IMC for the last two years, and that their appointment was just “replacement of the appointed sanitary assistants who failed to produce Aadhar cards.”
