Garbage collection drivers, loaders stage protest demanding salary
The Hindu
Door-to-door garbage collection was halted in the city on Friday morning after the garbage loaders, cleaners and vehicle drivers attached to Kalaburagi City Corporation staged a protest at Public Garden demanding clearance of their pending dues for the last four months.
Door-to-door garbage collection was halted in the city on Friday morning after the garbage loaders, cleaners and vehicle drivers attached to Kalaburagi City Corporation staged a protest at Public Garden demanding clearance of their pending dues for the last four months.
The agitators said that the concerned contractors have not cleared the salary dues to drivers and loaders collecting garbage for the last four months (June to September). There are about 285 drivers including garbage vehicles and compactors, 256 garbage loaders and 60 cleaners. The monthly salary fixed for the loaders was around ₹18,000, drivers, ₹15,000 and cleaners were getting around ₹13,000.
Kalaburagi South MLA Allamprabhu Patil reached the spot and heard the grievances of the agitating drivers and garbage loaders and assured them of taking quick action to redress their demands.
When contacted, Rajesh, general manager of Gesco Private Limited – to which the tender for collecting garbage is awarded, said that the city corporation has not released the payments to contractors. He alleged that the members of the general body and the standing committees were demanding an extortion amount of ₹40 lakh for continuing with the tender.