Two assistant sanitary inspectors were suspended by MCD on Saturday for alleged lack of supervision after finding that some substitute sanitation workers in Karol Bagh were not marking their attendance on biometric machine.

The MCD's action came even as it grappled with the issue of alleged "ghost employees" in its rolls. Delhi government recently told Delhi High Court that MCD caused loss of Rs 500 crore over five years by paying salaries to non-existing staff, a charge strongly denied by the civic body.

Officials said under the orders of Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra, a surprise checking was carried out in Karol Bagh Zone during which it was found that some substitute safai karamcharies were not marking their attendance on biometric machine despite being present on the location.

All the machines were found to be functional.

"The concerned ASIs -- Arun Kumar and Rajesh -- could not explain the reasons for not ensuring that the substitute employees mark their attendance on biometric machine. They have been placed under suspension with immediate effect and major penalty proceedings initiated against them for dereliction of duty," an MCD official said.

The Commissioner has directed time-bound implementation of e-governance system in MCD.

"The employees pay bill system under e-governance project under the supervision of Chief Accountant-cum-Financial Advisor Mayank Sharma is on pilot run. The biometric system has been integrated with pay bill module," the official said.

This was done with clear directions that salary of all contract and substitute employees will be generated strictly on the basis of their attendance marked on biometric machines.

"The pilot run of this project is on in Karol Bagh Zone.

After implementing the system it was found that several employees were not marking their attendance," he said.

Sharma, incharge for implementation of biometric system of attendance, has carried out a comprehensive exercise to ensure that all employees mark their attendance on the machines, officials said.

The MCD has been projecting introduction of biometric machines as a key step in ensuring transparency and accountability in the civic agency.

Coming down heavily on Delhi government for its claim before the court on fake employees, Mayor Rajni Abbi had said that as part of the organisational reforms, the MCD has implemented biometric attendance which has eliminated possible chances of existence of "so-called ghost employees".