Indefinite State-Level Protest of Safai Karmacharis: Garbage Piles Up In Mangalore City

With the indefinite state-level protest of safai karmacharis and drivers on a contract basis entering the third day at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru, the door-to-door collection of waste has been hit in the coastal city.

K Narayana Shetty, district president, Safai Karmachari Sangha, Mangalore, said that the protest is being held, demanding direct payment for the drivers who are on contract. He also mentioned that several demands of the sanitation workers on contract have been pending. At the Mangalore City Corporation, the variable dearness allowance (VDA) that was sanctioned for April and September, has not been released. Also, workers on contract are not provided with breakfast, which was announced in 2017, he said. A special leave salary for 21 days is also not given to the workers. Several facilities like providing workers with gloves, gumboots, changing rooms for women, toilets and drinking water facilities have not been provided for the staff, said Shetty.

Meanwhile, MCC commissioner K Channabasappa, said waste collection has resumed in the city. Private and corporation vehicles have been deployed for waste collection. Men and materials are being mobilised. For the time being, 36 vehicles have been deployed. More than 100 drivers are part of the protest.