BENGALURU: Even as pourakarmikas staged a protest on Wednesday seeking an increase in minimum wages, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike suspended 41 sanitation workers for dereliction of duty.
During a meeting with contractors, supervisors, marshals and engineers to chalk out plans to clean up the city, BBMP officials found discrepancies in the attendance of 41 pourakarmikas and suspended them. These workers had allegedly signed their attendance, but were later found driving autorickshaws at Vijayanagar. BBMP Special Commissioner, solid waste management, D Randeep told TNIE: “We are not sure whether they are pourakarmikas, drivers, or whether they work for contractors or with BBMP.
However, in the attendance log their names are listed. Until a decision is taken, they have been suspended and their biometric attendance sealed.” Officials said that many workers are hand in glove with contractors and did not sweep or clear garbage.
Scores of pourakarmikas protested at the BBMP head office, and later submitted a memorandum to BBMP officials listing out their demands which included equal pay for equal work, direct employment and increase in minimum wage to Rs 30,000. Randeep said, “The BBMP is paying minimum wage as per rules. Over Rs 350 crore is being paid to 17,000 pourakarmikas. The government will, however, decide on the increase in minimum wage.”