The Times of India 04.09.2012
Garbage deadline goes into the bin
BANGALORE: The city's
garbage crisis is now getting messier by the day. Just when Bangaloreans
were hoping that the three-day deadline set by the newly appointed BBMP
commissioner Rajneesh Goel to clear up garbage would leave the city
cleaner, the contrary has happened. On Monday, when the deadline ended,
the heaps of trash only got bigger in some areas as the pourakarmikas
did not turn up work. Reason? They had not been paid their salaries for
three months now!
Pourakarmikas usually work from 6.30am to 3pm
cleaning the city roads. "As they have not got their salaries, they
have not been able to pay their home rentals and school fees for their
kids. The BBMP must immediately release the salaries of the
pourakarmikas," said H Marappa, convenor of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi, who has been fighting for the rights of civic workers. The workers have now threatened to go on an indefinite protest if they are not paid their dues by September 4.
Speaking to TOI, BBMP commissioner Goel said instructions were given to
the authorities concerned to immediately release payments for the
pourakarmikas. "On Monday more than 7,500 tonnes of garbage were
cleared. On Saturday, the city had accumulated over 8,500 tonnes of
garbage. We have tried to remove it in many areas. What is seen is the
garbage produced on Monday. As for delay in payment of pourakarmikas'
salaries, it's our fault. This has been rectified as the amount has been
paid to the contractors," Goel said. However, the contractors
are yet to disburse the amount to the workers. "The pourakarmikas will
get their money within two days," said a member of BBMP garbage
contractors ' association.
