Sacked sanitation worker climbs atop water tank

Bathinda, July 27

Protesting against the dismissal of sanitation workers and temporary employees by the Bhagta Bhai Ka Nagar Panchayat, one of the affected staffers Sunder Lal climbed atop a water tank at Kangar village here on Saturday.

Sunder Lal announced if attempts were made to bring him down forcibly, he would jump off the tank. Government officials and four AAP leaders would be responsible for any harm caused to him, he said.

Around 3 pm, following intervention by administrative officials, the contractor assured the dismissed employees of their reinstatement, prompting Sunder Lal to descend from the water tank.

A notice for the dismissal of five temporary employees of the nagar panchayat was issued following a written complaint by some AAP leaders. The affected employees were Sunder Lal, Surjit Singh, Jagtar Singh Tari, Sheenu Gabha and Raj Rani.

Temporary employees and sanitation workers had been staging a protest in front of the nagar panchayat office for nearly 14 days seeking the reversal of orders. The strike by sanitation staff had affected sanitary conditions in the town.