Bringing relief to citizens who were fearing a garbage crisis, garbage contractors withdrew their call for an indefinite strike on Monday evening, following a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister.
The contractors rent out transport vehicles to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for collection and disposal of municipal waste. They had struck work on Monday, threatening to go on an indefinite strike until their demands, especially payment of pending bills amounting to ₹220 crore, were met.
Consequently, garbage had piled up at various points in the city. Even pushcarts used by pourakarmikas stood idle at the secondary pick-up points. According to sources in the BBMP, door-to-door collection was affected in most parts of the city. Door-to-door collection of waste did not happen in many areas in Yelahanka, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, Rajarajeshwarinagar, East and West zones.
Incidentally, Mr. Parameshwara, who went on a round of the city on Monday, noticed heaps of uncleared garbage in many places. He reportedly directed BBMP officials to clear the same as soon as possible.
S.N. Balasubramaniam, garbage contractor and general secretary of Bengaluru Mahanagara Swachate Lorry Malikara Mathu Guttigedarara Sangha, told The Hindu that though diesel rates had seen an increase, the BBMP had not yet started paying the new vehicle rent rates. The BBMP had increased the rates (vehicle rent and salary for two persons / vehicle) to ₹2.5 lakh from ₹1.5 lakh for a tipper and to ₹63,000 from ₹48,000 for autorickshaws.
“The civic body has also not taken into account the driver and cleaners of these vehicles, numbering nearly 8,000,” he said and added that though solid waste management was exempted under GST, they were still being charged.
He said that Mr. Parameshwara sought to know why statutory orders on service tax were not being followed.
BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management and Health) Sarfaraz Khan said that the civic body was not able to pay the new rates as the model code of conduct was in place. He said that Mr. Parameshwara had directed the civic body to ensure that all the pending bills are cleared within 10 days. He said that the minister had also urged contractors not to go on strike, as it would inconvenience the citizens, besides giving the city a bad name.
About service tax, Mr. Khan said that Mr. Parameshwara had assured the contractors of discussing the issue with the officials concerned.
Mayor R. Sampath Raj said that the Deputy Chief Minister is expected to meet garbage contractors once again on Wednesday.
