Over 30 employees of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) have been issued show-cause notices by the civic body for being absent from work since the lockdown started, said officials on Tuesday.

According to the notice, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, senior MCG officials alleged that none of the staff members at the MCG’s zone 3 (establishment) branch in Sector 42 were coming to the office since the 21-day national lockdown came into force in the country on March 25.

The zone 3 (establishment) branch was assigned with the responsibility of preparing daily reports on the activities undertaken by MCG officials during the lockdown and report the same to the MCG’s headquarters. Additionally, they were also tasked with the responsibility of assigning duties to MCG officials in their respective zones for ensuring essential services such as sanitation, water supply, sewerage, streetlights, and garbage collection continue to operate uninterrupted.

The notice directed to the accounting officer of the establishment branch on April 4 stated that repeated reminders were also sent to the staff over the phone and that work was being hampered due to the absence of the staff.

“As you are aware that due to issues related coronavirus, time-to-time staff is needed and that the government asks MCG for updates and reports on the matter. It has been noticed that neither you and nor your staff members are seen in the office and your work is instead being undertaken by the MCG’s headquarters in your absence. You have two days to respond on the matter,” an excerpt of the notice issued by Mahabir Prasad, additional commissioner, MCG read.

Hariom Attri, joint commissioner of zone 3, MCG, who had alerted the civic body about the absence of establishment officials, said most staff members have already come forward and recorded their statements on the matter.

“We have received responses on the matter from most of the staff members. Some of the officials who work at the zone 3 (establishment) branch were stuck at their homes due to the absence of curfew passes, some had been temporarily assigned other duties and there was lack of communication. However, there are a few officials who simply did not come for duty and further inquiry will be initiated against them,” Attri said.

In May last year, the MCG had marked an inquiry against 15 outsourced workers in the water supply division who had allegedly not to come to work for more than a month.