Garbage is piling up in many towns in Andhra Pradesh as civic staff have been on strike since July 10 demanding a hike in salaries and an improvement in working conditions. The State Government so far has not made a serious effort to address the issue. It is busy with the Godavari MahaPushkaram.

To avoid an outbreak of disease, arrangements for garbage removal have been made in Rajahmundry alone where the Godavari Pushkaram is on. In the other towns and cities, including Visakhapatnam, the situation is getting worse by the day.

The unions are demanding a hike in minimum salary from Rs 6,700 to Rs 15,432, regularisation of the services of outsourced staff, house sites, accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh, and health cards.

The union leaders said talks with the Government had broken down due to the intransigent attitude of the Government. In particular, they blamed the Municipal Administration Minister, P. Narayana, alleging that he was not serious about the issue.

The union leaders said at a time when the Prime Minister himself was campaigning for Swacch Bharat, carrying a broom, the sweepers and cleaners in the civic bodies were not being given their due. They were not getting minimum salaries while the cost of living was rising all the time in the towns. They wanted the State Government to give up its indifferent approach and negotiate with the unions to find a solution to the problem.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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