Sanitation workers block residence of MC Commissioner

Gurugram, October 10

With no truce between the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the protesting sanitation workers, the workers have now blocked the Commissioner’s camp office and residence. While the MCG has made special arrangements, the city is witnessing a sanitation crisis. Roads and societies are piled up with garbage and residents have either started burning it or are tying up with illegal garbage-lifting groups.

The workers’ union, which has been on a strike for the past 22 days, is demanding the cancellation of tenders and has urged the MC to employ sanitation staff hired by existing agencies. The strike has created havoc in Sectors 45, 31, 69, 23A, 51 and 46, Malibu Towne, Nirvana Country, New Colony, Greenwood City B&C blocks, Tulip Chowk, Old Delhi-Gurgaon road and Dundahera Ward No. 4.

The roads in residential areas are littered with garbage and residents are sharing photographs on social media and with civic officials.

The MC terminated contracts with old sanitation agencies due to alleged non-performance and regular strikes by the union and hired six agencies, but their employees have also joined the union and are on strike over the non-payment of salary. The union said it would not let the new agencies start work unless its demands were met.

“Over the last three weeks, our sector has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and dengue cases have increased. Children have to wait for buses near garbage piles. Our area supervisor has told us that they don’t have the manpower and cannot clean the area daily,” said Neeru Yadav, a member of the Residents Welfare Association of Sector 23A.