BENGALURU: Hundreds of drivers and loaders associated with Solid Waste Management (SWM) started hunger strike from Monday, demanding regularisation of service and Pourakarmika status.
Thyagaraj, President, Praja Hakkugala Vedike said these demands have been put forth before the palike several times, but the palike is yet to reciprocate. About 10,000 members engaged as drivers / loaders have to be recognised as Pourakarmikas as per IPD Salappa Commission Report. BJP leaders like former DyCM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, opposition leader in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and former Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman Jagadish Hiremani visited and assured to prevail upon the state government to get justice to protesting members, he added.
Speaking to TNIE, Thyagaraj said, “Until and unless the government does not respond, the strike at Freedom Park will continue.”
The protesting drivers and loaders said, that they are the one who are in the forefront to clear the city’s waste and ensure the beautification, and it is the responsibility of the government and BBMP to treat them with respect, recognise and absorb them into palike.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who visited the spot and spoke to the protesting members, said, when BJP was in power, 14,000 pourakarmikas were made permanent employees. Now drivers and loaders, who are also equally working, need to be regularised. “The government and BBMP can at least remove the contractors and absorb these sections under ‘Direct Payment’ segment,” said Narayanaswamy.
Former DyCM CN Ashwath Narayan said, people from this section of society also work hard for the city, and they should be given Pourakarmika status as they clear waste from the spot and keep the city clean.
Reacting to the protest, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said the palike absorbed only pourakarmikas, who were on contract, two years ago. Loaders and drivers are also there in the process of solid waste management and since palike is going for integrated system, tenders are being called. The contractor will look after machine and manpower like drivers and loaders.
Girinath further added, that for waste management in town panchayats merged in to BBMP, they have their own vehicles and manpower was being supplied from BBMP zones from 2008. Hence, the arrangement for SWM varies. Because of the protest, there is a bit of inconvenience especially in West and East Zones. About 15 percent of waste collection was hit due to the protest and we spoke to contractors and they are working to solve the issue.