Pulling up the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Bombay High Court, on Saturday, asked it to spell out various measures it has undertaken to facilitate the travel of its employees who are differently abled. The HC slammed the civic body for not allowing such employees to take off from work in view of the pandemic and then not paying them their salaries.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni said, "We are so fortunate that we can see; that we have all limbs and we can move around as we wish to. But it is unfortunate that the corporation has taken the stand of deducting the salaries of such employees if they don't report to work."
The bench was hearing a PIL filed through advocate Uday Warunjikar, highlighting the plight of the differently abled employees of the BMC. The plea claimed that the civic body was deducting the salaries of such employees if they don't turn up to work due to the pandemic.
"In the current scenario, people do not even shake hands with anyone. The visually impaired need help to cross a traffic junction or to take trains. No one is there to hold their hands or help them commute in the present times. How will they reach their place of work," Warunjikar submitted.
In response to these contentions, the BMC said it took ‘good care’ of its employees during the pandemic. The civic body further claimed that it has started bus services for such employees and has also allowed them to travel in the local trains.
The bench has adjourned the matter for further hearing.
