Pourakarmikas working on daily wages in Kalaburagi City Corporation scored a major victory in their long-drawn struggle for regularisation of their services. Urban Development Minister Vinaykumar Sorake directed the City Corporation officials to prepare a note on how to regularise their services and payment of pending wages for 48 months.
Former Minister S.K. Kanta and Karnataka Pranta Raita Sangha (KPRS) president Maruti Manpade represented the pourakarmikas in a meeting convened by Mr. Sorake in Bengaluru on Friday, along with the Municipal Administration and Minority Affairs Minister Qamarul Islam, Commissioner of Kalaburagi City Corporation Shrikant Kattimani and other officials.
Mr. Kanta said during the meeting, that documents indicating that pourakarmikas executed the work of permanent employees were submitted to the Minister. An order passed by the High Court upholding the stand of the pourakarmikas that they were daily-wage earners was also submitted in the meeting.
The city corporation authorities also agreed to pay Rs. 1 lakh as compensation to family members of pourakarmika Ningamma, who had died on January 15.
Mr. Manpade said that he, along with Mr. Kanta, later met Home Minister K.J. George and submitted a memorandum seeking disciplinary action against the Circle Inspector attached to the Brahmpur Police Station who had reportedly ordered lathi charge on the pourakarmikas staging a dharna.
The pourakarmikas took out a “victory” procession in Kalaburagi on Saturday morning. They said the city corporation should take a sympathetic approach towards pourakarmikas working on daily wages and try to find a permanent solution.
