Sanitation workers dump garbage outside BJP office

ROHTAK/CHANDIGARH : The ‘safai karmcharis’ (sanitation workers), who have been sitting on a ‘dharna’ for the past three days, on Saturday extended their strike till May 14 to press for their demands, including job regularisation, equal wage for equal work, pay scales on par with Punjab and 100 sq feet land to build house.

Around 870 workers employed with the municipal corporation (MC) stalled their functions and started dumping garbage in large quantities outside the offices of governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leaders to register their protest. Around 500tonne garbage is lying undisposed due to the strike of the workers in Rohtak alone.

On Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) extended its support to the workers and slammed the state government for not fulfilling its poll promise. AAP Haryana convener Naveen Jaihind said BJP had promised to end the practice of recruiting workers through contractors. “But this government has promoted this practice even more. All recruitment is being done through contractors only,” he said.

Jaihind said the government must make provisions to provide quality healthcare to sanitation workers and give ₹1 crore monetary help to the family in case of any casualty caused on duty.

Earlier, leader of Opposition and senior INLD leader Abhay Chautala also supported the demands of the workers.

Local member of legislative assembly (MLA) and minister of state for cooperation Manish Grover said they will soon hold talks with the workers and pacify them.

DEMAND UNJUSTIFIED, SAYS HARYANA GOVT

Terming the demand of regularisation of contractual employees in MC as unjustified, the Haryana government on Saturday said since the court had put a stay on the regularisation of employees under various policies since 2016, it was not right to protest and interrupt emergency services.

A spokesman of the urban local bodies department said in view of the protest, the employees had been interrupting cleanliness and emergency services. He said the demand of protesting employees was unjustified because on September 2, 2016, the double bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court had put stay on all regularisation policies issued on and after June 16, 2014. “Thereafter, the chief secretary had directed all departments to ensure compliance with these orders,” he said.