More than 2,000 temporary workers of Hooghly-Chinsurah municipality, who had been demanding their wages for the last three months, have stopped rendering essential civic services from yesterday, causing misery to the residents of the joint civic area.

The casual workers have been in financial distress due to their unpaid wages for the last three months. They have alleged that the district Trinamul Congress senior leadership has been indifferent to their long-standing problem.

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The temporary municipality workers are engaged in various public services like street lighting, security, public health assistance, booster water pump operation and other services.

The affected workers are demanding regularisation of their pay and have even resorted to protests and gherao of the municipality chairman in the past, but without any luck.

The transportation of drinking water to essential locations have completely stopped and the various beneficiaries scheme work has also come to a standstill. Without the garbage not being cleared for a couple of days, huge stacks of garbage can be seen in various areas of the civic body. The drainage system too remains blocked. The residents are now facing dengue threat apart from the stench of the garbage.

The Chinsurah-Hooghly municipality chairman Amit Roy said the central funds towards the municipalities have been long stopped. “Even though we have sufficient funds in the water department, as per rule and regulation, available funds for specific departments cannot be diverted to other municipal departments. The municipality’s own generated funds are not sufficient to clear the dues of agitating temporary workers,” he said.

The Chinsurah MLA, Ashit Mazumdar, aware of the prevailing situation said, “I have nothing to comment on it. The senior party leadership has not directed me to act over the prevailing problem.”

The TMC district president Arindom Guin, said, “I am aware of the situation, however, the Chinsurah MLA should be more concerned to find an amicable solution to the long-standing problem. They can approach the concerned state government office and department to get it resolved soon. Civic amenities towards common people should not be affected in any way.”

The municipality finance department official admitted that the situation at present is beyond their control since every month the municipality suffers from insufficient funds, hence the salaries of temporary workers are getting held up.