BENGALURU: The State government has agreed in principle to regularise the services of pourakarmikas who are working on direct payment basis in various urban civic bodies in the state. A committee of senior officers, law department officials and representatives of pourakarmikas would be constituted to implement it in accordance with legal provisions, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.
Bommai, who chaired a meeting to discuss the problems of pourakarmikas on Friday, said that the proposed committee would submit its report within three months. “Pourakarmikas deserve social dignity and security. The state government would respond to their woes with a humane approach. Their monthly remuneration has been hiked to Rs 2,000”, Bommai said. Special recruitment rules would be framed to simplify pourakarmikas appointment.
Pourakarmikas want CM’s written assurance
The pourakarmikas would be provided housing loan facility, their children would be covered under the Vidya Nidhi scholarship scheme and women pourakarmikas would get maternity benefits, Bommai said. However, the protesting pourakarmikas are insisting on a written assurance from the CM as a condition for calling off their strike.
P P Appanna, General Secretary AICCTU, Karnataka Chapter, who is supporting the agitation says the strike would continue. “The protest will continue. As long as nothing comes in black and white from the government, the protest will not be called off.”Hundreds of pourakarmikas staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday. Shivanna Mysuru, President, Karnataka State Nagara Palike, Grama Sabhas and Pattana Panchyat Pourakarmika Maha Sangha who is spearheading the protest said garbage loaders, cleaners, drivers and underground drainage workers working as contract labourers should be given permanent job status.
Civil society members from across Karnataka have written an open letter to the CM urging him to meet the demands of the pourakarmikas. Permanent status, better working conditions, homes, health and education to their children are some of the demands made to the CM.
No adverse impact: BBMP
BBMP Solid Waste Management Commissioner Harish Kumar told TNIE that the strike did not have any adverse impact on the collection of waste on Friday. He added that 4,200 tonnes of both solid wet waste was collected.