Proposal to employ civic workers through SHGs rejected

The BBMP Pourakarmikas (civic workers) Association has rejected the proposal, mooted by Mayor B N Manjunatha Reddy, to employ the contracted civic workers through the self-help groups.

The office-bearers of the association termed it another way of exploiting the contracted Pourakarmikas at a public meeting at the Institution of Agricultural Technologists (Next to KPCC) office on Queens Road on Wednesday.

About 500 sanitation workers from all over Bengaluru, Mandya, Hosapete, Koppal, Tumakuru and other districts participated in the meeting, also attended by chairperson of the Karnataka Safai Karamachari Commission Narayana.

Narayana assured the Pourakarmiaks that the government would soon notify minimum wages of Rs 14,000 per month. He further said that he would pressure the state to regularise the jobs of contracted civic workers by March next year.

Venkatamma, a Pourakarmika from Koramangala, highlighted the hardships of the civic workers. She said they (civic workers) start their day as early as 6 am everyday and toil 7 days a week and 365 days a year, without a single day off, and they do it for a very meagre wage, she added.