Approximately 200 outsourced employees engaged in maintaining Ranchi’s drinking water supply are facing a severe financial crisis after not receiving their salaries for the past three months. The workers, employed by the outsourcing agency Pathak Engineering, which manages urban water distribution for the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, have expressed deep resentment over the prolonged delay and have warned of an intensified protest if payments are not cleared by December 30.
According to the employees, the entire urban water supply system, including water distribution, pipeline repairs, leakage control and technical operations, depends on their workforce. They said they received their September salary, but wages for October, November and December remain unpaid. Due to the delay, many workers have reportedly been forced to take loans to support their families, raising fears that the upcoming New Year celebrations may be overshadowed by financial distress.
The workers claimed they had approached the company’s officials four times regarding the issue, but had received only assurances without any concrete action. They warned that if their dues are not cleared by the end of the month, they will stop work, which could bring the city’s water supply system to a complete halt.
The city’s urban water supply operations have been outsourced to Pathak Engineering, whose employees allege that the agency’s officials are not taking their grievances seriously and remain largely beyond the department’s control.
However, an official of the outsourcing firm stated that such situations arise because the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department fails to release funds on time. The official further claimed that the responsibility for payment lies with the department’s Executive Engineer, who is allegedly avoiding accountability.
Responding to the allegations, Chandrashekhar Kumar, Executive Engineer of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (Urban Distribution), said the department has not yet received the required budget allocation, which has delayed salary payments.
“Correspondence has been sent to the concerned authorities. The payment process will begin as soon as the allocation is received,” Kumar stated.
Meanwhile, the looming threat of a workers’ strike has raised serious concerns about the potential disruption of the city’s drinking water supply system.