Punjab: Sanitation workers’ strike ends, garbage still on the streets

Punjab: By Monday evening, the city roads looked like heaps of garbage. Around 25 tonnes of garbage collected from the city in the last five days has not been lifted by the municipal corporation sanitation workers as they were on strike. The garbage from the dumping site has spread on the roads, leaving only half the width for traffic. Solving the garbage problem and the problems of municipal employees has become a headache for the state government. The strike, which ended today, was led by former sanitation worker and now AAP leader and chairman of Punjab Safai Karamchari Commission Chandan Grewal. The sanitation workers took written and signed undertakings from Mayor Vaneet Dhir and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gautam Jain before ending the strike. Dhir took over as mayor around four months ago with the main agenda that he would ensure proper cleanliness of the city. The main demand of the employees was to get additional salary for working on weekends, festivals and government holidays. They said that they should be given 13 months’ salary for working on these days, to which the officials assured them that the provision would be placed before the MC House in the next meeting as a resolution. In return, they also sought assurances from the Safai Karamcharis that they will maintain attendance registers and draw salaries through the iHRMS portal. “Our other demands include regularisation of JCB operators, promotion of drivers, sewermen and filling up of posts of gardeners, watchmen and beldars. We have also sought assurances for regular appointments and not through outsource mode as is being done through City Livelihood Committees”, said Chandan, adding that they stand with them on the issues of alleged exploitation and harassment of their community. Two weeks ago, Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh had visited the city and asked officials and MC staff to ensure proper cleanliness is maintained. The MC Safai Karamcharis had hit back saying they need adequate staff for this. The city has around 1200 Safai Karamcharis. Though the city limits are expanding, there has been no new recruitment of Safai Karamcharis since 2011.