Bengaluru: The two-day old indefinite strike called by thousands of pourakarmikas in Bengaluru has been called off.
“We have called off the strike after Minister for Social Welfare H Anjaneya assured to arrange a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 20 to finalise the modalities to regularise the services of contract conservancy workers,’’ Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Contract Workers’ Association Vice President Vinay Sreenivasa told reporters on Tuesday.
Around 6,000 contract conservancy workers of Bengaluru civic body were on indefinite strike since Monday in support of their demands. “About 45,000 conservancy workers are engaged on contract basis in 240 urban local bodies across the state. Around 22,000 conservancy workers are on contract basis in Bengaluru,’’ Sreenivasa said.
The agitating conservancy workers demand direct transfer of salary to their bank accounts instead of authorizing garbage contractors to disburse their salary apart from regularization of their services. “Most of the conservancy workers are getting only Rs. 4,500 from the garbage contractors. They will get Rs. 12,500 if the urban local bodies credit salary to their bank accounts,’’ he said.
Minister for Social Welfare Anjaneya, accompanied by Minister for Municipal Administration Eshwar B Khandre, met the leaders of agitating conservancy workers at Bannappa Park in the city centre. “The conservancy workers need not depend on garbage contractors for their salary. The government will make arrangements to credit salary to their bank accounts. A meeting will be held to discuss on abolishing the contract system in urban local bodies including BBMP,’’ Anjaneya said.
Tonnes of garbage piled up at various locations due to the two-day old strike by the conservancy workers. On an average, Bengaluru generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage on a daily basis.
Residents in areas such as Yelahanka, Byatarayanapura, Hebbal in Bengaluru north suburb and KR Market, Kalasipalya, Chamarajapet, Malleswaram and Palace Guttahalli in city centre and Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Laggere, Peenya Dasarahalli in Bengaluru south were struggled a lot cope with garbage due to the conservancy workers’ strike.
