Punjab: Sanitation staff strike raises stink as garbage piles up in Hoshiarpur

Stray cattle have overrun dumping sites, while waste overflowed onto the roads, making it difficult for pedestrians and vehicles to pass.

With the strike of the sanitation workers against privatisation entering its ninth day, several roads and streets remained strewn over with garbage on Friday. Due to the strike, the sanitation workers are neither collecting waste nor cleaning sewers. Roads across major areas, including Una Road, Aslamabad, and Model Town, remained littered with waste as workers stayed off duty. Stray cattle have overrun dumping sites, while waste overflowed onto the roads, making it difficult for pedestrians and vehicles to pass. With door-to-door garbage collection at a standstill, residents have resorted to dumping waste in vacant plots and neighbourhood corners, exacerbating the mess.

Representational image

Sanitation staff are protesting the alleged move by the municipal corporation (MC) to privatise waste management and water supply services. They are also demanding an increase in minimum wages.

Local MLA Brahm Shankar Jimpa, mayor Surinder Kumar and MC commissioner Jyoti Bala Mattoo held several rounds of talks with the striking staff but the latter agreed only to clear the paths where Dussehra-related processions were to be taken out. Employee union’s patron Kulwant Singh Saini said work won’t be resumed until they get written assurance regarding their demands.

“Despite repeated requests and warnings, water supply work and waste management is being allotted to private firms. Even the demand for a hike in minimum wages is not being met. The local government minister lives in the city but he has not talked to us”, said Saini.

MC Commissioner Jyoti Bala Mattoo said the matter was under active discussion and expressed hope for a resolution soon.