Talks fail, striking RMC workers to meet secy today

RANCHI: Civic works of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) will continue to be affected on Monday too after talks between striking workers’ association and urban development minister CP Singh failed on Sunday.

The strike may conclude on Monday following another meeting with the urban development secretary.

More than 500 grade employees are on a strike from January 19 demanding jobs on compassionate ground, regularisation of contract workers and provision for retirement pension to contract labourers.

Over 400 cleanliness workers of the civic body also joined the strike from Saturday.

The association members met minister Singh after Ranchi mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya’s intervention but in vain.

“After listening to our demands, the minister said it would take some time to make provisions for jobs on compassionate ground and retirement pension to contract labourers,” association president Naresh Kumar said.

He said the minister also refused to give in written his promises.

“We have fixed a meeting with the urban development secretary on Monday,” he said.

Ranchi deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya claimed the strike would come to an end on Monday following a meeting with the sectary.

“Some demands like disbursement of their pending arrear around ` 83 lakh and pension are genuine,” he said.

The ongoing strike has paralysed the routine works at the RMC like sanctioning of building maps, issuance of birth, death and caste certificates.

A part of Ranchi also faced cleanliness problem.

The RMC, however, requested the remaining 1,300 contract cleanliness workers not to join the strike in view of Republic Day on Tuesday.