Patna, Jan. 5: Report to work on time, else be ready for a salary cut. The municipal corporation’s message for its employees is loud and clear.

Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal decided to deduct salary of 42 employees on finding them not in office at 10.30am yesterday, the time to report to work.

Additional commissioner Chandrama Singh today said the decision to deduct a day’s salary of these employees was taken when it was found during a surprise inspection that they were late to work without informing their respective superiors.

Singh added: “All of them were Grade III and IV employees. They were found absent at the time when they are supposed to be in office. The administration has also issued showcause notices to the employees, asking themto justify why their salaries should not be deducted.”

The inspection was carried out at the planning and development wing of the civic body at Maurya Lok Complex as well as the PMC’s headquarters. According to sources in the civic body, similar inspections would be carried out at PMC circle offices to discipline the employees.

C.P. Singh, the president of the PMC employees’ union, said the punishment was too harsh on the 42 employees. “We agree that the employees should be sincere in their approach to work. They should also be punctual. But at the same time one should remember that they are very low on motivation. They should be asked to be serious in their work,” he added.

The union leader said he would request the commissioner to let the officials go with a warning and not to deduct their salaries. He added that the authorities could deduct salaries of the habitual offenders. “But there might be some employees who are punished for being late only for a day because of some valid reasons. A habitual offender and a person reaching office late for a genuine reason should not be treated alike.” On the other hand, a number of PMC workers said it was unfair to expect hundred per cent efficiency and discipline from them at a time when the civic body could not ensure payment of salary on a regular basis.

“This is the third month that we are going without the salaries because of cash crunch in the corporation. It is becoming difficult to support our families, particularly during winter. We have been managing by borrowing money from friends and acquaintances,” said a PMC employee on condition of anonymity.

“Instead of being considerate, our bosses are taking such stern steps. Many of our colleagues are reaching office late because of the extreme cold condition and bad traff8ic on road,” he added.