Haridwar stinks as sanitation workers continue strike

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 28

Haridwar city has turned into a garbage dump following the strike of workers of KRL company, which manages the door-to-door garbage collection. Around 110 sanitation workers of KRL today remained on strike demanding immediate payment of their wages and other facilities.

As a result, the door-to-door garbage collection service remained suspended and waste was littered in and around dustbins put up by the civic body and KRL.

Company supervisor Pramod Kumar Sharma said the sanitation workers had gone on a strike and totally boycotted work as they had not been paid wages for the last three months due to delay in sanctioning of tipping tax by the Municipal Corporation.

He said the Municipal Corporation did not transfer Rs 52 lakh to the KRL company despite repeated reminders. “Due to the delay on the part of the civic body, we are unable to pay wages to 100 workers involved in door-to-door garbage collection currently in 13 of the 30 wards. As soon as the Municipal Corporation releases the money to the company, we will pay wages to the workers,” said Sharma.

Meanhwile, Mukhya Nagar Adhikari Vipra Trivedi said the ongoing strike was an issue between the company and the sanitation workers. She added the civic body had realised Rs 15 lakh from tipping tax collection and had made payment to the company.

“The KRL agency is wrong in blaming the municipal corporation. I have sought an explanation from the company regarding media statements blaming the corporation for the delay in payment of three-month wages to the striking workers,” said Vipra.

Inder Mohan Barthwal, a resident of Vivek Vihar, said due to the strike, he was ferrying garbage to a nearby garbage bin on scooter but many colony residents were dumping garbage on the road or beneath a streetlight pole.

“Garbage should be collected regularly and if KRL workers are on strike, the Municipal Corporation should task its permanent or contractual employees with clearing the garbage. Spread of contagious diseases looms large, besides inconvenience caused to local residents, pilgrims and tourists,” said Barthwal.