Sunday, September 30, 2018

‘Swachhta He Seva’ Turns Into ‘Selfie With Garbage’ As Sanitation Workers Go On Strike

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachch Bharat’ campaign is nearing its fourth year anniversary on October 02, however, a ‘selfie with garbage’ campaign seems to be gaining more prominence in the national capital.

A certain section of sanitation workers in New Delhi has been on strike since the past 17 days because their demands remain unaddressed by the local and civic authorities. While many workers demand that their salary hasn’t been increased, many contractual workers haven’t been made permanent despite working for decades.
The female sanitation workers allege that they don’t have proper toilets and others are demanding arrears. As a result, piles of garbage can be seen lying in the open, in front of medical clinics, shops, marketplaces, at a time when people are falling prey to a record number of dengue cases.
A joint front from East Delhi’s residents' welfare association has, therefore, started the‘selfie with garbage’ campaign where annoyed residents are posting pictures with heaps of squalor around their residential areas.
Geeta Colony, Krishna Nagar, Dharampura, Vikas Marg markets, Kailash Nagar and Gandhi Nagar are witnessing alarming levels of filth and dirt. B S Vohra, who heads RWA Bhagidari Movement told TOI, “No solution is in sight. The corporation says it has no funds. The Delhi government says it has released funds.”

The corporation claims that it is facing an acute financial crunch as the Delhi government has refused to allocate funds as per the fourth Delhi Finance Commission’s recommendations despite an order from the high court.
Many sanitation workers who have been working since 1998 deserve regularisation. The money will come later but administrative approval should be given, said the president of the workers’ union, Sanjay Gahlot.
Though, mass regularisation is not an option since it would generate a hefty amount of salary bills as well as arrears. Meanwhile, Corporation commissioner Ranbir Singh said they had been talking to the protesting unions.

with thanks: IndiaTimes: LINK

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