Pourakarmikas demand salaries on time

More than 1,000 contract pourakarmikas staged a protest at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office against the BBMP’s alleged indifference towards them on Wednesday.

They later ended the protest following BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana’s assurance that he would look into their demands.

The protesters alleged that those from Sunkadakatte area have not been paid for four months. They also said that in Mathikere, they are paid Rs 4,000, which is far less than what they received in the past.

Their grievances also included, not being given holidays and being subjected to hazardous work conditions. They also alleged that women pourakarmikas are harassed verbally and sometimes physically by the contractor’s men.

Notice to be given

Lakshminaraya later assured that a notice would be sent to all the contractors to pay the workers Rs 8,558 a month. After deducting the PF and ESI, the pourakarmikas’ take-home pay would be Rs 6,553 a month.

The contractors will also be directed to pay the notified minimum wages on time and also pay all the arrears immediately, failing which action would be taken and they would be blacklisted, the commissioner said.