Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore’s celebrated cleanliness system faces a major test as sanitation workers launched a five-day strike on Monday over long-pending demands, with unions warning of a complete shutdown of sanitation work from Tuesday.
Hundreds of workers gathered at the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) headquarters, raised slogans and staged a sit-in outside the municipal commissioner’s office for more than two hours. They demanded that the commissioner personally receive their memorandum, but no senior official came out.
Women sanitation workers also staged a symbolic protest by removing their bangles and throwing them at the gates of officials’ chambers.
Valmiki Sena state president Rajesh Dholpure said the strike had begun on Monday, though some employees reported for duty as they were unaware of the agitation.
“From Tuesday, all sanitation workers will join the strike,” he said, adding that workers would also stage a sit-in at Regal Square until their demands were addressed.
The workers are seeking permanent status, recruitment of 5,000 additional permanent sanitation workers, equal pay for equal work, jobs for family members in cases of medical incapacity or death during duty, abolition of the NGO system and an additional month’s salary during Diwali.
Sanitation worker Maya Pathrod said she had worked with the corporation for 20 years but was still not regularised and earns around Rs 10,500 a month.
Another worker, Rani, said sanitation staff work throughout the year and in all weather conditions, but their demands remain unheard despite Indore retaining the country’s cleanest city tag eight times.
Meanwhile, the IMC has begun contingency arrangements. Additional Commissioner Prakhar Singh said demands that can be resolved at the civic body level would be addressed.
Officials said extra workers were deployed for sanitation on Monday and more personnel would be mobilised if the strike continues.
