Chandigarh/Gurugram: Haryana sanitation workers on Friday announced the end of their agitation, which began on August 6 and brought cleanliness and garbage collection services across the state to a grinding halt.
The union announced the decision to end the strike after its leaders met with chief minister Nayab Singh Saini. Representatives of the Safai Karamchari union met with cabinet ministers Vipul Goel and Krishan Kumar Bedi at the civil secretariat in Chandigarh, where they reached an agreement on their demands.
The union demanded payment of the outstanding amount and regular employment in respect of fire personnel Bhavichand Sharma and Ranbir, who lost their lives in the line of duty. “We are ending the strike as the government has accepted our demands. Moreover, safai karamcharis on municipal rolls will be given the benefit of LTC.
The sanitation workers will be back on duty and remove the accumulated garbage and waste within 10 days across the state,” Naresh Shastri, state president of the Nagar Palika Karmchari Sangh, said in a presser. In a statement, the state government stated that it was agreed that sanitation workers will be given a ₹ 440 per month uniform allowance, instead of a one-time uniform allowance, 20 days of medical leave in a calendar year, and that the relevant service rules will be amended to enable eligible safai karamcharis to be promoted to clerical (Group C) posts. “There will be no break in service of regular employees due to the strike.
The deadlock ended after the state government reached an agreement on the demands of the agitating sanitation workers, a state government spokesperson said. “About the demand about equal pay for equal work and arrears, payment has already been made to eligible employees,” the government said. “In the meeting, in-principle approval was also given to enhance the amount under the Mukhyamantri Haryana Karamchari Durghatna Bima Yojana from ₹ 5 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh in the event of death while on duty of safai workers on municipal rolls,” the government said. The government said that the union had demanded ₹ 50 lakh for each family even as the government has already provided ₹ 60 lakh to the family of Bhavichand Sharma and ₹ 30 lakh to the family of Ranbir.“If any member of the families of the two deceased employees applies for employment on compassionate grounds, action will be taken as per rules,” the state government said. The strike period of payroll employees will be adjusted against extra duty leave,” the state government said.
