In a concerning development, contract workers under the Garden Department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) have reportedly not received their salaries for the past four months. The issue was brought to light by Corporator Bharat Jadhav, who submitted a formal letter to the civic administration demanding urgent action.
According to the letter dated April 24, 2024, although the contracted gardening services have been completed, payment to the contractors has been withheld due to the absence of official work logs in the department’s park inspection register. This has directly impacted the timely disbursement of salaries to the workers employed under these contractors.
Jadhav emphasized that withholding payments without considering the impact on ground-level workers is unjust. He urged the municipal authorities to either verify the work and clear the pending dues or take necessary action against any irregularities found with the contractors—but without penalizing the workers in the process.
"If the contractor’s work is indeed irregular, appropriate action must be taken. However, the workers, who have performed their duties diligently, should not be denied their rightful wages," said Jadhav in his letter.
The matter has been escalated to senior officials in the Garden Department and Deputy Commissioners at NMMC. Workers and local representatives now await swift resolution and justice for the affected employees.
