Civic worker strike: Garbage piles up before Dasara

All eyes are now on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to find a solution to the garbage problem ailing Mysuru for almost a week now.

Dasara celebrations are a few days away. Garbage collection, street sweeping and other cleanliness drives have come to a standstill in Mysuru, due to the ongoing civic workers (pourakarmikas) strike.

Uncollected garbage is piling up and making citizens' life unbearable. They are unable to safely dispose the stinking waste in their houses. The pourakarmika strike entered the eighth day on Monday.

'Cleanest City' a misnomer

Mysuru bagged the 'cleanest city' award twice, and missed it by a whisker another time. But the present condition of the city makes those awards meaningless.

The Dasara finale (Jumboo Savari) is a week away. The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is scared that epidemics might break out if the garbage piles are not cleared.

The festivities are to be inaugurated by Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy, on Wednesday, atop the Chamundi Hill. Dasara draws lakhs of tourists from all over the world.

CM's visit

CM Kumaraswamy is expected to visit Mysuru on Tuesday and meet with the leaders of the striking civic workers. He spoke to Narayan, former chairman of State Safai Karmachari Commission, on Saturday, and assured that a meeting would be held on Tuesday.

Despite Mahalaya Amavasya, civic workers spent their Monday protesting before the main entrance of the MCC. Narayan and MCC Commissioner K H Jagadeesha held a joint media conference inside. Congress leaders, including ex-MLA M K Somasekhar, joined the striking civic workers. It is to be noted that Congress MLAs had expressed their displeasure over the neglect by JD(S) ministers, in involving them in the arrangements for Dasara.