9 hours ago
HR&CE refutes woman's claim of unpaid temple salary; says she worked voluntarily outside premises
COIMBATORE: The HR&CE department has refuted the claims of a woman that she had not been paid salary for several years despite being engaged as a sanitary worker. After a probe, officials averred that no such worker was officially appointed for sanitary work.
The woman who levelled the allegations was not appointed by the department, and she has been doing the work voluntarily, they added.
Reports that spread on social media states, a woman named Maragatham, aged around 70, from Poondi area was working as a sanitary worker at the vehicle parking lot of the Poondi temple for more than 20 years. She had demanded the state government to offer at least basic pay.
'She was appointed as a sanitary worker on the Poondi temple premises in 2003, with a monthly salary of Rs 1,500. She was left without salary within six months due to confusion on salary disbursal between the Boluvampatti village panchayat and the HR&CE department. The woman is surviving with the money offered by the devotees visiting the temple,' states the message.
HR&CE officials conducted an inquiry, and said the woman's claims were false.
Executive Officer of Velliangiriandavar Temple, M Gopalakrishnan, said that usually they temporarily recruit 15 people to engage in cleaning work for four months, between February and May. Maragatham was recruited for sanitary work in 2018 and she was employed only for four months and later relieved from the work, he claimed.
'We have two staff and recruit 15 people every year during the season. Likewise, she was employed in 2018. However, she continued to engage in cleaning works outside the temple premises (in the parking area which falls under the forest department's boundary).
We told her not to engage in the work. However, she continues to do it and collect money from the vehicle owners. She has accused the temple management of not paying salary for over 20 years. We have communicated the clarification to our higher officials,' Gopalakrishnan said.
