Sanitation workers regret delay in recruitment, threaten strike

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 7

Irked over the delay in recruitment process of 282 sanitation workers, members of the MCB Sanitation Workers Union have threatened to go on hunger strike.

A meeting of the MCB Sanitation Workers Union was held under union president Gora Lal over the recruitment issue at MCB office. In the meeting, discussion was held over the recruitment issue and all union members expressed their displeasure over the delay and alleged that members of the selection committee were deliberately delaying the recruitment process.

Members also stated that it seemed that members of the SAD-BJP didn’t want to start the recruitment in time, due to which they were misleading the union over the recruitment process by stating that they were taking opinions. They said that as per the Act, the selection committee has a power to take decisions on its own. They demanded that if selection committee cannot take decision, then this selection committee should be dissolved.

Union president Gora Lal said if till June 27, sons of sanitation workers and members of the Balmiki community who reside in Bathinda, were not recruited and recruitment process was not initiated than he would sit on hunger strike and the union would go on strike and the protest would be intensified. He said the responsibility of this would be on Mayor, district administration and state government.

Their demands included: recruitment interview should start at the earliest, sanitation workers should be given office and store at the attendance points and educated sanitation workers should be given promotions.

MCB Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said the corporation was working on the issue and it would be resolved soon.

Earlier on May 23, sanitation workers had gone on strike over the same demands and the sanitation condition in the city had gone for a toss. Later, on May 25, Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal and Congress leaders had gone to protesting workers and assured them that they would take their demands to the state government, after which the strike was called off.