Sanitation workers protest against GPS enabled watches, Chandigarh MC refuses to budge

The Safai Karamchari Union said that MC was turning them into ‘bonded labour’

Even as the municipal corporation spent huge money on buy GPS-enabled wrist watches for its employees, the Safai Karamchari Union on Thursday held a protest outside MC office in Sector 17, vowing to start an indefinite protest if they were compelled to wear these watches.

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MC had ordered 4,000 watches in February. While senior officers have started wearing these watches, the field staff have not accepted them. Union president Krishan Chadha said that they have been assured of a meeting with the UT adviser on Monday.

“The MC is turning us into bonded labour. If this move is not halted, we will go for indefinite protest,” he said. He also claimed that these watches were harmful for the body as many workers had fallen ill after wearing them.

“And why should safai karmcharis alone wear them? The civic body should have same yardstick for everyone,” he said.

MC in no mood to roll back

On the other hand, the civic body is in no mood to roll back the move. MC commissioner KK Yadav said that the MC is already examining health concerns that workers had raised in last meeting with him. “As far as going back on the move is concerned, it will not happen. We are going ahead and have already distributed these watches to sanitary inspectors, chief inspectors and other senior officials,” he said

“We often get complaints that MC sweepers, gardeners, sanitation inspectors and enforcement staff are absent from field duty. This new system will rein this in,” he said.

The project is slated to cost the MC about ₹18 lakh per month.

As per Yadav, the watches will record the attendance of workers after they reach their designated areas. Panels in the control room, to be set up in the MC office will blink if they move out of this space during duty hours. The central server will also be alerted if the watch is removed during work hours.