Sanitation workers continuing strike as of mid-May, garbage piles up in Ferozepur
Sanitation workers continuing strike as of mid-May, garbage piles up in Ferozepur
Ferozepur, May 27, 2021: Unionized sanitation workers in Punjab are continuing an indefinite strike as of May 15 resulting in garbage piling up in streets and road sides, posing health hazards in the coming days.
During Covid time, the city was sanitized but due to strike, the collection of refuse by the roadside and corners is posing a threat to new viruses.
The employees have been demanding regularization of jobs and increase in salary besides other demands and threatened to continue with the strike until the government grants their demands for improved working conditions and job security, said Rajesh Kumar, President, adding that the government is not serious about their demands.
The demands include – to end the contractual system, equal work equal pay, implementation of 7th Pay Commission report, recruitment of workers as per the beats of the city, solid waste management arrangements.
The strike has disrupted sanitation services in the cities across Punjab. In Ferozepur, around 200 workers have joined the strike.
However, some private workers are lifting the significant refuse accumulation to dump at the collection centers but its further transportation to the dumping sites on the outskirts of the city, has become a problem, due to strike. In such a situation, there is a threat of another epidemic outbreak looking over the town as no alternative arrangements could be made.
Being a state level issue, it is already in the knowledge of the government and there is a need for its early solution, as the stench of garbage has further added to the woes of the residents, said municipal council official.
