VIJAYAWADA: The sanitation workers’ strike, which has been going on for two days now, will have an adverse effect on segregation of waste across the city, according to the health wing officials of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). K Arjuna Rao, Chief Medical and Health Officer, VMC, said, “Of the 2,984 workers, 75 to 80 per cent are usually in attendance. However, due to the strike, the percentage of workers in attendance has gone down to around 30 per cent. This will affect the process of waste segregation across the city. Certain black spots in the city have garbage piled up, and the strike is likely to make the situation worse.”
However, measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the strike have been taken. As many as 36 compact vehicles will be deployed to clear waste in 40 out of 59 wards. This process has already begun in eight wards, and 220 out of 366 workers appointed recently have begun performing their duties. As many as 734 areas have been recognised as ‘garbage vulnerable spots’, and additional staff has been deployed in these areas.
When asked to comment on the workers’ demands, Rao said a government order had recently been issued to hike their minimum wages. “They will get a raise soon. The government has issued a GO to give them a hike as they deserve it,” he said.
Regarding the cancellation of Government Order 279, which allows outsourcing of municipality work and removal of real-time monitoring system, he said both the measures were taken to benefit workers.
“Allowing private players to invest in municipality work will lead to inflow of funds for technological upgradation of cleaning equipment. Real-time monitoring system will help workers detect the exact location of waste quickly, which would in tern reduce their work. Both the measures will benefit the staff,” he said.