VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Sunday took a U-turn on a notice issued three days ago to sanitation workers, saying their salaries will not be paid if they fail to collect garbage user charges from city residents. The August 5 notice was served to sanitation staff, inspectors, ward health secretaries, and ward sanitary secretaries.
The VMC, however, was forced to withdraw the notice following severe criticism by the staff. The civic body has been charging user fees — Rs 30 each from slums and Rs 120 from other areas—for collecting garbage from households since October 2021, and it was to get an estimated Rs 4 crore per month from the city’s 64 divisions.
Municipal Corporation Employees’ Union leader M David said the VMC should have instead served demand notices to the people.VMC Chief Medical Officer for Health (in-charge) N Babu Srinivasan said the civic body has withdrawn notices issued to the sanitation workers.