Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: As today’s talks between the Jammu Municipal Committee (JMC) authorities and representatives of various striking employees unions turned into a fiasco there appears no end to on going strike of Safai Karamcharis and other workers of the civic body.
After the failure of their talks with the authorities on the second day of strike today the representatives of municipal workers unions have warned to continue the strike till demands are met.
Accusing the authorities of backtracking from their promise, the civil Safai Karamcharis and other workers said that they (authorities) can’t close their mouth by giving mere lollypops. “We demand settlement of our long pending demands and not lollypops” said Sanju Burad ex president Sanitary Supervisors Union.
He said the workers are committed to take their present strike to logical conclusion and they will not budge even an inch from their demands which are genuine in nature.
He said entire staff of JMC is on strike in support of the genuine demands and the strike will continue till issues are settled.
Alleging that the authorities were misguiding the people on the demands, Rinku Gill president Civic Safai Karamcharis Union said that the major demands are lingering on. He said the meting ended in a deadlock as the authorities asked the Union representatives to pursue some demands in civil Secretariat which is not possible for them.
On other demands the authorities have sought one month’s time more and this way they are trying to linger on the issue which is not acceptable to workers said Rohit George president Clerical Union JMC.
Warning the authorities of serious consequences if they continued to adopt the delaying tactics in settling the demands, Mr Burad said “we will turn the town hall into a garbage dump and throw dead animals every where in its vicinity”.
He made an appeal to Government to concede the demands at the earliest in the larger interests of the people.
In today’s talks the JMC was represented by Commissioner, Kuldeep Lal Khajuria, Joint Commissioner, Kapil Sharma and CAO Umar Khan while the workers were represented by Rinku Gill president Civic Safai Karamcharis Union, Rohit George, president, Clerical Union, president Drivers Union, Mohammed Unis Bhat and Sanju Burad.
However when contacted the JMC Joint Commissioner, Kapil Sharma said that authorities are optimistic of resolving the issue by tomorrow after the third round of talks will be held with workers representatives. He said another round of talks will be held tomorrow morning and there is every hope that an amicable solution will be found to the issue.
It may be recalled that first round of talks was held by JMC authorities with representatives’ of workers yesterday.
He reiterated that out of nine demands, six have already been conceded by the authorities.
He said the workers representatives two years back had given in writing that the causal labourers will work on Rs 2100 per month and now they are demanding that they be paid Rs 4500 per month. “Still the authorities have submitted the demand to concerned Ministry in Civil Secretariat and we are hopeful that some thing tangible will emerge”.
On the prevailing insanitation in the city, he said that a cleanliness drive will be launched in the city during the night to remove all the filth and garbage from roads.
Meanwhile Jammu city continues stinking as the heaps of garbage are scattered every where with drains remaining chocked and drainage water overflowing onto the roads in various areas of the city on the second day of strike today.
The Municipal workers and Safai Karamcharis held a massive demonstration at the Town Hall today and shouted slogans against the authorities and Government.
Apprehending spread of epidemic the people have also appealed the Government to find an amicable solution to the demands of the Safai Karamcharis as entire city has been turned into a slum.
The heaps of garbage are lying scattered at Jewel Chowk, Dogra Chowk, Canal Road, BC road, Maheshpora Chowk, Residency Road, Indira Chowk, Old City areas, Gandhi Nagar, Satwari, Janipur and other parts omitting a foul smell . At various places the dead dogs lying strewn on roads with nobody caring to lift them.
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