Ambala grapples with sanitation blues

Nitin Jain

The monsoons had caused a flood-like situation in low-lying areas of Ambala district. Ambala City and Ambala Cantonment are now grappling with sanitation blues. Heaps of garbage and overflowing drains and dustbins have given rise to the threat of epidemic outbreak.

The situation worsened after sanitation workers observed a three-day strike last week. In the absence of proper cleanliness arrangements, the twin towns of Ambala started to stink and have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases. However, the district administration claims that the situation is “totally under control” and it has "managed" to persuade striking sanitation workers to return to work. It has also directed the private contractor to ensure proper cleanliness in the wake of the ongoing strike.

The striking employees have held protests in the Municipal Corporation office and raised slogans against the state government, accusing it of “backtracking” on the agreement signed with them in May for fulfilling their genuine demands.

The main demands of sanitation workers are regularisation of the services of contractual employees, one rank one pay, abolition of contractual employment system, creation of additional regular posts of sanitation workers and the old pension scheme for employees.

“We have been given false promises time and again by officers concerned to make us withdraw our agitations but this time, we are firm to continue our stir till all our genuine demands are met in letter and in spirit,” says Chaman Lal, district president of the striking employees’ union.

Employees' union chairman Mangat Ram says that the government does not bother about the welfare of sanitation workers and they are leading a pitiable life.

Heaps of garbage can be seen on roadsides and in vacant areas of Ambala Cantt and Ambala City while drains and dustbins are overflowing in the absence of daily cleanliness work.

residents are forced to dump garbage here as private door-to-door garbage collectors are not regular in their service. There are 1,074 sanitation workers (both regular and contractual) on rolls in the district.