In an attempt to complete the census work as early as possible, the state government has deputed thousands of government and civic employees to conduct the survey on time. However, a curious case reported at Jogeshwari on Wednesday, revealed that a BMC employee, who is deputed as enumerator, outsourced her work to two teenagers.
Lata Margi, an employee of the Natwar Nagar Health Centre, who was assigned the survey for the census, delegated her work to two college students.
While performing Ms Margi’s duty, the girls visited the residence of Mr Harishchandra Sawant at Meghwadi in K-east ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Mr Sawant provided them with all the information. However, he got suspicious, when the two girls did not fill up any form, but jotted down
the information in a notebook.
When Mr Sawant asked them why they were not filling up any forms, the girls gave evasive answers. Moreover, when he asked the girls for their identification, they were unable to provide the same.
Mr Sawant pursued the matter further, and complained to the supervisor of census work in the area, Swati Ghadi. She told him that Ms Margi had sought permission for delegating the census work to the two girls. Ms Ghadi even tried to justify the move by saying that nothing else could be done when the work was to be completed at the earliest. However, Mr Sawant has now lodged a written complaint both with the police and the BMC.
Meanwhile, when contacted the municipal health executive, Andheri region, Mr G.T. Ambe said that the government has not allowed the employees on census duty to have any dummies or substitutes. He explained that the census information is confidential and no unauthorised person can collect or even ask for the same.
“If the incident is true we will definitely take proper legal action,” Mr Ambe said.
Further, the state chief secretary J.P. Dange referred to a government resolution dated April 16, which states that if a government employee or a member of public is found guilty of hindering census work, he/she would be liable for action under section 4 (2) of the Census Act, 1948 as well as section 187 of the Indian Penal Code for omission to assist public servant.