The sanitation department workers of Asansol Municipal Corporation agitated outside the civic body at Ashram More, Asansol today demanding wage revision and other demands.
They alleged that though they play a key role in keeping the civic area clean everyday and ensure safety of people still they are denied minimum wages.
At present the sanitation department workers are paid Rs 9,000 per month. They are demanding Rs 15,000 from the civic body stating that due to price hike they are finding it difficult to run their family.
They have also demanded a job for next of kin of a victim if a sanitation worker dies during work. “We don’t have social security in case of any extreme situation,” they alleged.
The sanitation workers also have identity cards from the civic body which will also prove that they are employees of the Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Bidhan Upadhyay, mayor of AMC said that the demands of the sanitation workers are legitimate. They help us to make the city clean and hygienic. “Yes, I do agree with them that their salary is very low compared to the present situation. Last year, we increased their wages by Rs 30 per day and this year too, their salary hike is in our active consideration,” said the mayor.
He has urged the sanitation workers to return to their work and assured that he will seriously consider implementing some of their demands.
Incidentally, till a few years ago, Asansol was one of the dirtiest and most polluted cities in the country, but in the past few years due to the implantation of several central projects the air quality scenario has improved.
Asansol Municipal Corporation, with 106 wards is spread over Kulti, Asansol, Burnpur, Jamuria and Raniganj town areas. It is the second largest civic body in the state after Kolkata Municipal Corporation.