Sanitation takes a hit amid Ropar MC workers’ strike

The indefinite strike by Municipal Council workers continued today across Ropar district with employees staging protest in front of the council offices and suspending all work. Sanitation services came to a complete standstill and heaps of garbage have started piling up outside containers and filth is spreading across Ropar, Nangal and Anandpur Sahib MCs.

A large numbers of contractual and sanitation workers, under the leadership of the Municipal Employees Union, raised slogans against the Punjab government. The protest also received support from Congress councillors.

Union members Rakesh Kumar, Kaushal Kumar and Bunty Gohar, along with other employees, said that the contractual system was nothing but direct exploitation of workers, which would no longer be tolerated. They said that the contractual employees were deprived of minimum wages and social security. They were struggling to run their households. Kaushal Kumar said that the meagre salary under the contract system had pushed workers into a miserable state, making it nearly impossible to support their families.

Former president of Ropar Bar association and Nangal MC Parmjeet Singh Pamma alleged that the Punjab government was gradually bringing all essential services under the contract system.

“Such policies would harm both the general public and employees in the long run. Government’s decision to invite tenders for sanitation work was an attempt to sideline local contractors and promote outside companies, which would result in job losses for locals and worsen the exploitation of workers,” he added.

The workers alleged that their struggle would go on until the government abolishes the contract system and ensures permanent recruitment.