Hyderabad: Citizens might as well get ready for a stink as 30,000 workers of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will go on an indefinite strike from Thursday midnight, bringing to a halt all sweeping, garbage lifting and anti-mosquito operations in the city.
It may be mentioned that workers to sweep and clear garbage were taken on contract basis by the GHMC after permanent employees were found not doing their duties properly. Over the years, the permanent employees have been retiring and contract workers on meagre salary are being hired as there has been no recruitment.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Employees Union president Udhari Gopal said they had been urging the government for the last one year to increase the salary of workers from '6,700 per month to Rs 16,500.
Except for promises and assurances, no action has been taken by the government, he said. “We do not want to inconvenience the citizens by not clearing the garbage. But just think about the plight of the workers. Road sweepers and garbage lifters are paid a meager salary of Rs 6,700 per month.
How can the government expect them to manage their lives as house rents alone would eat away more than half of their salary. How will they pay school fees of their children, get rice and wheat, vegetables? The prices of essential commodities in Greater Hyderabad have sky-rocketed.
They clean up the city for us day and night but they are the most neglected ones,” Udhari Gopal said. GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar, however, exuded confidence of convincing the union leaders to resume their duties.
“We are sympathetic and understand that their salaries need to be increased. We have already written to the government. Increasing the salaries of workers is not in my hands as it is connected with all the outsourcing workers in municipalities and other departments across the state. Other demands like EPF and providing safety equipment are being implemented for the workers,” he said and added that whatever could be done from GHMC’s side, it would be done for the welfare of the workers.
