Outsourced sanitary workers end strike, resume duties in Mangaluru: MLA

The outsourced sanitary workers of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) who were on the strike since past 13 days, resumed their duties from Sunday, March 26 after ending their strike, said D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA

The outsourced sanitary workers of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) who were on the strike since past 13 days, resumed their duties from Sunday, March 26 after ending their strike, said D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA.

The MLA said in a statement that drivers and loaders engaged in the collection and transportation of solid waste from the doorsteps and the workers involved in the operation and maintenance of underground drainage network, wet wells and sewage treatment plants have resumed their duties. With this, normalcy in the solid waste and sewage management is expected to return in another two days.

Mr. Kamath said that the “war room” opened in his office, to help people to clear garbage from their doorsteps and other places, will continue to function for two more days. It received 300 calls on Saturday, March 25, which were being attended to.

Thanking the workers for returning to work, he expressed regrets for the inconvenience caused to the people since March 13.

Meanwhile, people threw garbage on the road and highway sides in several parts of the city during the strike. Hence, several places in the city have turned out to be black spots. It is expected to take some more days to clear the garbage from the black spots. The sewage also overflowed from several manholes in the city due to non-pumping.

According to the corporation officials, it might take some more days for normalcy to return. Earlier, on March 16, the two city MLAs – Mr. Kamath and Y. Bharat Shetty from Mangaluru City North – held parleys with the striking workers who refused to relent.

The workers striking all over Karnataka were mainly demanding direct appointment and direct payment by the urban local bodies.