Sanitation workers extend strike, garbage piles up along Karnal roads

Sanitation workers across the state have extended their strike by another three days, further affecting cleanliness and garbage-lifting services in cities. The workers, who have been on strike since August 6, announced the extension on Sunday after their demands remained unresolved.

Road sweeping and lifting of garbage from public places have not been carried out during the strike. However, door-to-door garbage collection by a private agency continues. Heaps of garbage are piling up along roads in the city.

Protesting under the banner of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh and MC Karamchari Sangh, sanitation workers have been staging a dharna outside the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) since August 6.

Raj Kumar, president of the MC Karamchari Sangh, said the state body decided on Sunday to extend the strike for another three days. He said the workers had initially launched the strike on August 6 over several long-pending demands.

One of the major demands of the employees is the regularisation of contractual workers. They have also demanded that posts under the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) be brought into the regular government establishment by abolishing the Nigam. The workers have further sought restoration of the ex-gratia policy, along with other service-related demands, he added.

Kumar said the employees had earlier staged a 14-day protest, following which the government had assured them that their demands would be considered and that they would be paid salaries for the period of the agitation.

“Neither our demands have been fulfilled nor have we been paid salaries for the period of the earlier protest,” he added.

Residents also expressed anger over the poor sanitation situation in the city due to the strike. “With no sweeping of roads and lifting of garbage, waste is piling up along roadsides and in public areas. It may lead to an outbreak of diseases during the monsoon,” said Rishipal, a local resident.

However, door-to-door collection by a private agency is continuing. He said this alone was not sufficient to maintain cleanliness as road sweeping and garbage lifting had been suspended.

An official of the KMC said the demands were state-level issues and would be resolved through the state headquarters.