BENGALURU: With around 10,000 garbage collectors threatening to strike work from Friday to Monday to protest non-payment of salaries, the city’s stench levels are likely to increase this weekend. On average, Bengaluru generates around 4k metric tonnes of waste daily.
Members of BBMP garbage contractors’ association claimed their salaries haven’t been paid for six months.
SN Balasubramanya, head of the garbage contractors’ group, said: “The 10,000 secondary division garbage collectors in 198 wards, (one ward has around 60 collectors) are each entitled to a monthly salary of Rs 14,000. Unlike the 18,000 pourakarmikas who are on BBMP’s payroll and get Rs 18,000 every month, garbage collectors are discriminated in terms of salary as well as timely payments. Our job is hazardous too as there could be glass pieces, rusted metals, wet waste, medical waste among others in the garbage that is disposed of.”
Medical waste generated during the pandemic is high and toxic, the contractors said, adding: “Yet, BBMP has not been releasing the amount due to us.” This is the fourth time in two years that the garbage contractors’ association has decided to protest non-release of payments. “Every time we decide to protest, BBMP officials promise to release our payments and force us to withdraw our agitation,” Balasubramanya said, adding: “However, this time we have decided not to pay heed to their promises and will protest at the BBMP head office. None of the auto-tippers will collect waste.”
Protest against IAS officer?
BBMP sources said the contractors are issuing threats to mount pressure on the government to shift IAS officer Tulasi Maddineni, who is BBMP’s special commissioner (finance), as she is trying to usher in transparency in the civic body’s payment process. Maddineni said: “We paid Rs 626 crore for solid waste management this financial year. The SWM contractors have been paid till September and bills of four months are pending.”
“They are protesting against me because I am insisting that GPS reports have to be generated and payments made based on percentage of the route covered daily by each auto tipper. I understand that sometimes GPS signal may not be proper but with suitable leeway given for such outages, we can have a more efficient and accountable door-to-door waste collection system,” Maddineni said.
Chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta said he is aware of the situation . “I have told my officers to speak to them and find a solution soon,” he said..
