Meeting inconclusive, sanitation workers continue strike
Hisar municipal corporation president Rajesh said the meeting was held unofficially between the minister and sanitation workers
: The strike by sanitation workers in Haryana continued for the 10th consecutive day on Friday as a meeting between a delegation of striking employees and urban local bodies minister Kamal Gupta remained inconclusive.
Hisar municipal corporation president Rajesh said the meeting was held unofficially between the minister and sanitation workers.
“We had asked the minister to call the officials to sort out the issue. We told the minister to scrap the Kaushal Rozgar scheme but he said to keep this demand on hold and discuss other issues. We want regularisation of jobs for those who have been working for many years and compensation for sanitation workers who died during Covid -19,” he added.
Minister Gupta said few leaders of the sanitation workers didn’t want to end the strike.
“If any of the workers tried to take law and order into their hands, we would take strict action against them. The doors are open for the workers for a meeting. We are deliberating on an alternative mechanism to pick up the garbage from cities as workers are on strike,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, heaps of garbage were seen in many parts of Rohtak and other cities, but the sanitation workers were adamant that they will not end their strike until their demands are not met.
The strike of the municipal employees, including sanitation staff, was initially announced for two days- October 19 and 20. However, the employees extended their strike as their demands were not met.
Naresh Kumar Shastri, president of the nagarpalika karamchari sangh, Haryana, said nearly 40,000 workers working in 57 municipal committees, 22 municipal councils and 11 municipal corporations of Haryana were on strike.
“The workers are protesting against the non-payment of their salaries for several months and to get the services of contractual employees regularised. We will continue our strike until our demands are not met,” he added.
Foul smell, filth in Ambala, Yamunanagar
The state of garbage collection and sanitation has deteriorated in Ambala and Yamunanagar districts since the sanitation workers began their indefinite strike.
The chowks and intersections have turned into dumping zones as the trash pickup remains shut, further pushing urban belts into a filthy state.
Residents have been complaining of foul smell and fear of spread of diseases like dengue and malaria.
In Ambala, the sanitation workers continued their protest at the municipal corporation office at Jagadhari Gate and burnt the order copies of the state government warning them to return back to work.
Meanwhile in Yamunanagar, the strike has delayed the cleaning of Yamuna ghats ahead of the chhath festival beginning Sunday. However, the civic body has managed to lift trash at some points amid protest from the workers.
On Thursday, Yamunanagar MC Mayor Madan Mohan Chauhan began the process of picking up trash by cleaning a site near Maharana Pratap Park and tried to pacify the protesters, who had gathered at the spot.
Ayush Sinha, ADC and commissioner, MC Yamunanagar-Jagadhri, said, “in interest of the public, we have started lifting garbage from major points in the town. There was minor hindrance from the protestors, but with the help of police forces, the task was undertaken. We are also making efforts to clean the riverside areas before the chhath festival.”
