Khetia (Madhya Pradesh): Employees of Khetia municipal council have issued a stern warning, threatening to initiate a strike if their salaries for December and January remain unpaid. In a collective protest, a memorandum was submitted urging prompt payment of overdue wages. The memorandum stipulates a deadline of February 11 for salary disbursement.
Failure to comply will prompt all municipal council employees to commence a strike from February 12. The prolonged delay in salary payments, spanning two consecutive months, has exacerbated the financial strain on Class IV employees, impacting their livelihoods and day-to-day expenses.
The looming strike not only jeopardises the city's sanitation and water supply systems but also poses a threat to the electricity infrastructure, particularly during the festival season. The financial health of the council itself could suffer, given the crucial revenue collection period in February. President Dashrath Nikumbh and CMO Mohan Alava have assured swift action, pledging to address the employees' grievances with the government and expedite salary payments.
Amidst the financial turmoil, employees like sanitation worker Anita Bai share their distressing tales, highlighting the dire consequences of withheld salaries. Anita Bai, who hasn't received wages for two months, narrates her struggles to feed her family and pay her children's school fees, resorting to loans amidst harassment from creditors.
Ashok Shinde from the employees union underscores the escalating financial hardships faced by employees, emphasising the urgency of salary disbursement. Failure to meet the February 11 deadline will trigger a strike, potentially disrupting essential services. Council authorities are urged to prioritise salary payments to avert further distress among employees and ensure the smooth functioning of municipal operations.
