Safai Karamchari Union wants security, night duty allowance

Members of the Nagar Nigam Safai Karamchari Union staged a protest outside the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) in Phagwara on Monday, demanding resolution of long-pending issues affecting sanitation workers. The protest was organised under the leadership of Dharamvir Sethi, Chairman of the Bhagwan Valmiki Action Committee, and Anu Sahota, president of the Yuva Vikas Morcha, Phagwara.

The protesting workers raised concerns over the imposition of night duty without appropriate compensation or safety measures. They demanded that night shifts be cancelled, or if implemented, should include night duty allowances, adequate security arrangements and medical insurance coverage for the Safai Karamcharis. Timely disbursement of salaries for contractual sanitation workers was also a key demand.

Raising slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government, the protesters criticised what they termed as continued neglect of the basic rights and welfare of sanitation workers. Although the union intended to submit a memorandum directly to the ADC, the official was not available at the time. The memorandum was subsequently handed over to a clerk at the ADC office.

Speaking to the gathering, Anu Sahota warned that failure to address the union’s demands would prompt further action. “If swift measures are not taken, we will intensify our protest by demonstrating outside the offices of AAP representatives and marking our dissent with black flags,” he stated.