KMC punishes officer for irregularities

KOLKATA: Shyamal Dutta, a sub-assistant engineer of the lighting department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation was suspended from work on Monday for indulging in "unlawful practices." Dutta was posted in the New Market.
Mayor Subrata Mukherjee, who announced the suspension during the day, said market superintendent Supriyo Dasgupta had also been asked to go on leave for "non-performance."
Mukherjee said the punishment was part of a drive initiated against a section of KMC market department employees who, he alleged, were instrumental in making the department financially crippled."We have been incurring huge losses partly because of our own employees. The errant ones will be identified and taken to task," the mayor said.
According to KMC market department sources, the mayor issued instructions for action against tax defaulters at the KMC markets.
Mukherjee said seven municipal markets owe Rs 1.25 crore to the civic body. "We will give them some time for paying the arrears or face disconnection of water and electricity lines," he said.
Meanwhile, traders of College Street market on Monday met the mayor and urged him to restore electricity to the market.