BBMP garbage contractors protest direct payment system

 For the third time in three months, garbage contractors prevented pourakarmikas from lifting garbage in the city.

The contractors staged a protest against Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday for implementing the direct payment system for pourakarmikas. Yet, the pourakarmikas were determined to continue their work and not heed to contractors.

The state Cabinet had approved abolition of the contract system in August and implement the direct payment system where salaries will be directly credited to pourakarmikas' bank accounts.

At present, contractors hire pourakarmikas and pay them. Implementation of the direct payment system will make 108 contractors involved in garbage contract business for decades, redundant.

“We have been working as contractors for several years. The BBMP and the state government cannot implement this without considering us. These ministers are heartless. They know that we will lose our daily bread and yet they are bringing in this scheme,” said Balasubramanian, president, BBMP garbage contractors association.

The contractors asked the pourakarmikas not to work on Saturday. “They called the workers and said the government has cancelled the work order and there is no need for them to attend work. Despite this, pourakarmikas worked since BBMP was standing with them,” said Maitreyi Krishnan, member, BBMP Guttige Pourakarmikara Sangha.

In some of the wards such as Mahadevapura, Koramangala and Adugodi, the contractors stopped the pourakarmikas from working on Saturday.

Meanwhile, BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said, “As I have discussed with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah yesterday, he has directed me to take strict action against those who protest against removal of garbage.”

He also said BBMP has taken enough measures to ensure that the city does not stink even if the workers protest. “We have taken the help of lorry owners' association and sand transport business to ensure garbage is lifted and transported to the waste management units,” said Prasad.

Global tenders

BBMP is planning to call for global tenders next week. This is the first time the solid waste management system is being streamlined by an international agency. The civic body might call for tenders next week.