Goodbye manual registers: Facial recognition tech now mandate for sanitation workers' attendance

Sambhal (The Uttam Hindu): The Sambhal Municipal Council has taken a major decision to eliminate the manual attendance system to make the city's sanitation system transparent and accountable. Now, to prevent fraud, sanitation workers' attendance will be recorded using facial recognition technology through a mobile app. This new system is expected to curb complaints that employees marked attendance without working or left the workplace early.

The Sambhal Municipal Council currently employs approximately 750 sanitation workers, including 250 outsourced and contract workers. The municipal administration has begun the technical process to implement this online attendance system for all workers.

Under the plan, every sanitation worker must download a special mobile app and register themselves on it. After registration, the worker will be given a unique login ID and password.

Under the new system, employees must arrive at their designated area in the morning and mark their attendance by taking a selfie via a mobile app. The same process must be repeated in the evening upon completion of duty. If an employee fails to mark their attendance at any time, their attendance will be counted as absent.

The municipal administration has clarified that strict action will be taken against employees who are consistently absent. Such employees will first be issued notices, and if a satisfactory response is not received, other departmental action will be taken, including withholding their salaries.

On this matter, Municipal Council Executive Officer (EO) Dr. Manibhushan Tiwari said, "Until now, attendance was recorded in a manual register, which often led to discrepancies. This new system is completely transparent. It will effectively curb serious problems like fake attendance, unannounced leave, and premature departure from the workplace."