BENGALURU: Waste collection may be hit across Bengaluru from Wednesday as thousands of cleaners and drivers with the Bangalore Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML), a waste management wing of BBMP, have threatened to go on strike, seeking regularisation of their services.
Thyagaraj, president of the Karmika Samrakshane organisation fighting for their cause, said DCM and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar had promised to look into their issue four months ago. But there has been no progress. Around 10,000 cleaners and drivers are working on contract basis, he said.
“We have been neglected by the government and BBMP. We keep the city clean and risk our lives, but there is no hope of the government making them either permanent staff of the BBMP’s solid waste management division or give them direct payment,” said Thyagaraj. These workers are now paid by BBMP garbage contractors.
Their representatives said they met Shivakumar at least four times and had requested him to at least give them direct payment and free them from the clutches of contractors.
“On Wednesday, we will assemble at the BBMP head office, march to Freedom Park and sit on an indefinite strike. We hope that our concerns will be addressed in the BBMP budget that will be presented on Thursday. That is the reason we have decided to protest from Wednesday,” he said.