Punjabi University campus turns a garbage dump

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 20

The deadlock between Punjabi University daily wagers and the administration has left the university stinking. As many as 700 daily wagers, including security guards, sanitation workers and others are on strike for the past one week due to which garbage has not been lifted from the campus hostels, classrooms and various blocks. This is while the university administration has been making efforts to come to a truce.

Also read: Punjabi University students lock officials in office over lack of cleanliness

Garbage has been strewn at various places on the campus for the past one week. The hostel washrooms, where the university has appointed daily wagers for the work, have also not been cleaned for a week, which led to a melee at the office of dean student welfare on Tuesday, wherein the DSW was locked by a student group in her office along with other officials.

The daily wage workers have been demanding promotions for the cleanliness workers, sewadars and others for long.

Jatinder Singh Kala, a daily wager, said, “Over 700 workers are protesting over demands. We have met the officials concerned several times but they have agreed to our demands only verbally. We want them to give us in writing about fulfilling our demands.”

University officials said the administration had formed a committee to look into the demands of the workers.