Pourakarmikas across the State, who started an indefinite strike on Friday, decided to continue their strike on Saturday too, despite Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s assurance that all pourakarmikas on direct payment system would be taken on permanent rolls.
“The government has agreed to share a draft of the order making employment of all pourakarmikas on direct payment system permanent by Saturday. We have decided to wait till we get it in writing, before ending the strike,” Maitreyi Krishnan, BBMP Guttige Pourakarmikara Sangha, said.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Bommai chaired a meeting with the protesting pourakarmika unions in which he announced that the government will bring a law to bring all pourakarmikas on direct payment on permanent rolls.
On the question of garbage collection van drivers and loaders presently working under contractors, the Chief Minister reportedly said the government would form a committee to look into the modalities to eliminate contractual employment.
Urban Development Minister B.A. Basavaraj went to Freedom Park and addressed the protesting pourakarmikas and assured them that their employment will be made permanent.
However, following his visit, the protesting unions met and decided to continue the strike on Saturday too, till the government shared the draft of the order and committed to it in writing.
Meanwhile, the strike on Friday affected the sweeping of streets across cities in the State. Meanwhile, door-to-door garbage collection was impacted only partially, as van drivers and loaders are presently working under contractors and did not participate in the strike in larger numbers like pourakarmikas.
₹2,000 hardship allowance for pourakarmikas
The State Cabinet on Friday approved ₹2,000 monthly hardship allowance for pourakarmikas of urban local bodies in the State.
Pourakarmikas working on both regular and contract basis in ULBs would benefit from the allowance, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs J.C. Madhuswamy said.
