VIJAYAWADA: With Dasara around the corner, heaps of garbage could be seen lying on city roads even as the indefinite strike called by the municipal employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) entered the third consecutive day on Saturday.
Stink emanating from overflowing garbage bins has made life unbearable for residents and pedestrians alike. Heaps of garbage could be seen lying in areas such as Kaleswara Rao Market, One Town, Rythu Bazar on the premises of Swaraj Maidan and Fruit Market at Kedareswarapeta. Similar is the situation on the city’s connecting roads, arterial and internal roads.
It may be noted sanitation workers went on a strike on Thursday demanding the State government to scrap GO No 279 that handed over sanitation in municipalities and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to private consultants, disburse a minimum salary of `18,000 per month and regularise contract and outsourcing sanitation staff.
According to VMC officials, the city generates nearly 550 MT of garbage daily and spends 110 crore a year on sanitation. To avoid inconvenience to the residents, the VMC has roped in private staff and machinery to clear the garbage near dumper bins in 59 divisions. In spite of this, the VMC was rendered helpless in maintaining sanitation across the city due to the strike.
Speaking to TNIE on Saturday, Municipal Employees’ Union State leader M David said there has been no response either from the government or directorate of municipal administration (DMA) so far. The JAC plans to intensify the strike by conducting a series of agitations, rallies and human chains to pressurise the government to accept their demands. Scores of sanitation workers will gherao Municipal Minister P Narayana’s residence at Patamatalanka in the city on Monday, he said.
Responding to the sanitation staff’s indefinite strike, VMC TDP floor leader G Hari Babu said it was ruling party, which issued GO No 279 for the welfare of the sanitation workers in the State ‘ by providing `11,000 salary per month. He took exception to YSRC and CPM leaders for misleading the sanitation workers and taking advantage of the indefinite strike to gain political mileage.