Sanitation Workers in Bhubaneswar End Protest After Mayor’s Assurance, Threaten Further Action
Bhubaneswar: Sanitation workers in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, concluded their protest on Wednesday after receiving assurance from Mayor Sulochana Das regarding their demands. The workers had been demonstrating for three days, seeking a salary hike and other concessions. The protest came to an end following a meeting between the Mayor and the workers’ association, where agreements were reached on various issues.
Despite assurances from Mayor Sulochana Das on Tuesday regarding a pay hike, sanitation workers continued their protest on Wednesday morning. However, talks between the Mayor and the association proved fruitful, leading to the withdrawal of the protest.
Mayor Sulochana Das convened a meeting at her residence after sanitation workers failed to resume work on Wednesday morning. The discussions resulted in a positive outcome, prompting the sanitation workers’ outfit to call off their cease-work protest.
Nevertheless, the sanitation workers’ association issued a warning, stating that they would resume their agitation if the government failed to meet their demands within two days.
Explaining the workers’ reluctance to return to work despite the state government’s assurance of a salary hike on Tuesday, Mayor Das highlighted concerns about the possibility of the declaration of a code of conduct, which could delay the implementation of the pay raise. However, assurances from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik alleviated their concerns, leading to the resumption of work.
The sanitation workers had been protesting at Rajmahal Square for three days, advocating for various demands including a salary increase to Rs 15,000 and the appointment of separate personnel for waste segregation. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation requested a 15-day period to consider waste segregation measures.
One of the protesting sanitation workers emphasized that they had returned to duty with the expectation that the state government would fulfill their demands within two days. Failure to do so, they warned, would result in a resumption of the protest on the third day.
This protest follows a previous demonstration by sanitation workers on February 24, where discussions with the BMC failed to yield results. The delay in fulfilling their demands by the state government prompted the workers to launch an indefinite cease-work strike.
The resolution of the recent protest underscores the importance of dialogue and negotiation in addressing grievances within the community. However, the workers’ determination to resume their protest if their demands are not met serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by sanitation workers in securing fair treatment and compensation for their labor.
