Pourakarmikas Boycott Work

Garbage was not collected from 11 wards of the Yelahanka zone on Friday as contract pourakarmikas of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), along with tipper auto drivers,  staged a protest demanding salary dues.

Hundreds of pourakarmikas, garbage tipper auto drivers and helpers gathered in front of the BBMP head office on Friday morning. They did carry out the door-to-door collection of waste at 11 wards, including Chowdeshwarinagar, Kempegowdanagar, Attur, and Jakkur among other places. The BBMP had given the contract to BVG India limited. Vasanth, a tipper auto driver, said according to the agreement, the employer has to pay `5,554 per month. He said they had staged a protest in front of BVG office last month.

“They assured us but we did not get paid,” he said.

Vice-president of Dalit Sangarsha Samithi (Bangalore Unit) Veerabhadre Gowda  said the contract pourakarmikas are members of their association. “Pourakarmikas have not been paid salaries for the last three months while drivers of auto tippers have not been paid for the last four months,” he said.

He said the  strike had been called off after Minister of State Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao had requested them to give time. Manager of BVG India Limited S K Patil told Express that there are around 900 people, including pourakarmikas, auto tipper drivers and helpers.

“We have paid salary to all the pourakarmikas till November-end. Some of the owners are refusing to take cheque and demanding more,” he said.   Mayor B S Sathyanarayana said the contractor has been paid till November-end. “There is no fault from the BBMP side. We have called a meeting on Monday. Contractors, forum leaders, BBMP Commissioner and other concerned authorities will be present,” he said.