Police detained 10 members of the Safai Sewak Union in Sangrur on Thursday after they attempted to stop the clearance of a garbage dump during their ongoing strike over job regularisation and the abolition of the outsourcing system.
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The incident took place after the protesting workers concluded their dharna outside the residence of AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj. While returning, they noticed a JCB machine and private labourers clearing a garbage dump near Government Ranbir College and tried to stop the operation.
As the workers blocked the JCB, police intervened and used mild force to disperse the protesters before detaining 10 of them.
“We have detained 10 persons, and the process to release them is underway,” deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Dalbir Singh said.
The sanitation workers have been on strike since July 8, demanding regularisation of services and scrapping of the outsourcing system.
Responding to the protest, MLA Bharaj said the government was making efforts to address their genuine grievances.
“For those whose issues are yet to be resolved, the government stands with them. However, the permanent employees must return to duty,” she added.
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She said that of the total sanitation workforce in Sangrur, 165 workers are already permanent, while verification of 25 others is underway and their service books have been cleared. “The core issue involves the remaining 13 outsourced workers and 10 sewer men whose demands are also under consideration,” she said.
The MLA appealed to the employees with no pending grievances to resume work.
