Govt deadline to sanitation workers to rejoin duty ends, 30 likely to be dismissed
The battle between the Haryana Government and sanitation workers over regularisation of contractual workers is going to intensify as the Urban Local Bodies Department (ULBD) is likely to dismiss 30 workers — 11 regular and 19 contractual ones.
The government had earlier given the striking workers time until September 5 to rejoin, failing which legal and disciplinary action would be taken. The 30 workers likely to face action are those facing FIRs for obstructing garbage collection in the past month.
“The dismissal orders are likely to be issued on Monday. The time was given till Saturday. Sunday is a holiday. So, orders will be issued on September 7,” said a senior official of the ULBD.
A total of 13,091 sanitation workers who are on ‘palika’ rolls (contractual workers) have been on strike in Haryana since August 6. Supporting them, a total of 3,418 regular sanitation workers joined them as well, crippling the lifting of garbage. Heaps of municipal waste have accumulated along roads.
The government claims it has agreed to 12 of the workers’ 13 demands. These included LTC benefits, minimum wages, insurance, PF, risk allowance, compassionate assistance and the promotion of sanitation workers and sewer men to clerical positions. The point of the tussle is regularisation, which the government is unwilling to agree to, citing legal implications. The strike has now completed 31 days.
At present, the Urban Local Bodies Department relies on 16,657 outsourced workers to lift garbage. “The problem is that striking workers are preventing the lifting of garbage. Clashes are taking place. Several FIRs have been registered so far,” said a senior official.
On the other hand, Naresh Shastri, state president of the Nagar Palika Karamchari Sangh, said, “If the state government has decided to expel us, what can we do? We will continue the strike. Over 500 workers are facing FIRs. They will be arrested soon. Let them dismiss us. If the government wants a solution, it has to talk to us.”
On Saturday, the sanitation workers took out a symbolic funeral procession of the state government through the city and later burnt an effigy outside the BJP office on Bhuna Road, Sirsa.
Meanwhile, CM Nayab Singh Saini said, “The government is prepared to bring these employees under the ambit of the Contractual Employees Act, 2024. This will enable them to receive benefits nearly equivalent to those of regular employees.” He added that sanitation workers who have been working on ‘palika’ roll for over 10 years would receive a monthly payment of Rs 25,560.
(With inputs from Sirsa, Panipat and Hisar)
