Sanitation workers protest in Jammu, briefly detained

Jammu, April 16

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Several sanitation workers were detained on Saturday after they staged a protest against the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) in support of their demands, including regularisation of their service here, officials said.

The workers, including women, gathered under the banner of Civil Safaikaramchari Union near Press Club in the heart of the city and tried to march towards the main road when the police initiated the action, the officials said.

They said over 12 workers, including their leader Rinku Gill, were whisked away in police vehicles to the nearby police station, where they were briefly detained.

“We were assured of the fulfilment of our long pending demands within one month after our last meeting with the government at Civil Secretariat on February 28. The government is only making false promises but we are determined in our struggle for our genuine demands,” Gill said.

The union is demanding regularisation of the services of those workers who have completed seven to 13 years and better work atmosphere and safety equipment.

“We are setting a deadline of 72 hours for the fulfilment of our genuine demands, otherwise we will intensify our struggle from Monday,” Gill said.—