The Municipal Employees’ Union has extended the ongoing sanitation workers’ strike until May 11 to press for its demands. The strike, which has already disrupted sweeping and waste collection services across several cities, has left garbage scattered on roads, causing inconvenience to residents and raising fears of disease outbreaks.
Sources in the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) said the disruption could significantly affect the upcoming Swachh Survekshan evaluation, as survey teams from the Union government are expected to visit anytime this month.
“The Union government’s team may arrive anytime this month, but the strike could affect our position in the survey. In the previous Swachh Survekshan, Karnal secured the third rank in the country,” an official said.
Union office-bearers announced that sanitation workers would stage ‘Jhadu Uthao’ protests on Friday. In Karnal, the protest march will begin from the KMC office and proceed to the Mini Secretariat.
The Karnal unit, led by president Raj Kumar, continues its sit-in protest with support from other employees’ associations. Criticising the government’s “rigid attitude”, Raj Kumar said, “Even after seven days of strike, the government has not considered it appropriate to hold talks. Our main demand is the regularisation of contractual workers.”
He also highlighted other demands, including fulfilment of fire brigade workers’ demands, permanent recruitment to fill vacant posts in municipal corporations, abolition of the contract system, implementation of a minimum wage of Rs 30,000, and adjustment of workers against posts created under the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam.
Raj Kumar, along with other office-bearers, warned that the strike and protests would continue if the government failed to respond. “We will intensify the agitation if our demands are not met,” he said.
