19,000 pourakarmikas stall strike for a week after BBMP’s assurance
- The Pourakarmikas were supposed to get the increased waged from ₹7,000 to ₹14,400 in August 2016.
- But, BBMP failed to implement the government order to increase the salary.
- One worker alleged that the authority has also not provided the security equipment needed from last six months.
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Thousands of contract pourakarmikas who went on an indefinite strike on March 8 called off their agitation soon after staging a dharna in from of the BBMP office. They took the decision after Bengaluru Mayor G. Padmavathi and BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad assured them that the authority would look into the matter and sought one week’s time to resolve the issues.
However, the Bengaluru City will stink if the BBMP fails to release the increased salary after the one week’s period ending on March 17 as the 16000 conservancy workers have decided to protest before the BBMP head office for failure to implement the minimum ₹14,000 monthly salary. The Pourakarmikas were supposed to get the increased waged from ₹7,000 to ₹14,400 in August last year, but BBMP failed to implement the government order.
Balan the President, Pourakarmika Association criticised, BBMP and said that "It is these section of BBMP workers who ensure that the city remains clean. They wake up at 5:00 am and start the cleaning activity from 7:00 am. They dirty their hands, in the end, they get only ₹5,000.”
“The government has ordered to give ₹14,400, but BBMP has not made any efforts to give their increased wages from August 7, 2016. Now, the BBMP Additional Commissioner for Solid Waste Management has asked one week’s time, failing which, we will stop the work," said Balan.
Clifton Rozario, an advocate and activists, who organised the activism among pourakarmikas, the most neglected madiga community who take up such profession says, "Pourakarmikas clean city garbage and ensure the 3.500 tonnes of it goes into processing units. But they are harassed. The contractors are like monsters as they harass and cut the salary for one or other reason. Hence, the BBMP should immediately debit the salary into the account of these workers as per the contract instead of giving it to the contractors and also workers should be given compulsory weekly off," he said.
Polamma Pourakarmika attached to Bharathinagar Ward, who has to look after her family with the meagre income from BBMP, disclosed that the money lenders are after her as she has borrowed ₹1 lakh for her daughter’s wedding.
"Every month, I borrow a little money from one or other sources to pay the interest on my huge loan had the BBMP given Rs 14,400 in August, my financial burden would have been reduced," she said.
She further added that the gloves, masks and boots that were supposed to be given to the conservancy workers are still pending from last six months and as a result, they are forced to clean the garbage by hand.
"Forget getting the safety equipment; even the brooms are not provided. We have to buy with our money. When we ask the BBMP engineers and contractors, they threaten to cut our salary," rued Polamma.
