STRIKE CONTINUES, HEAPS OF GARBAGE ROSE FURTHER, SAFAI SEWAKS BURN CM’S EFFIGY

Raj Sadosh/Abohar.

The impact of the ongoing strike by Municipal Corporation and Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board employees—now in its 15th day—is clearly visible on the city’s sanitation system. Thousands of tonnes of garbage have accumulated on city streets, around schools, government offices, and at dumps. The situation is such that residents in several areas of this city—home to a population of around 1.75 lakh—are forced to live amidst heaps of garbage right outside and around their homes.

On Sunday, the MC Safai Sewaks Union staged a protest by burning an effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The employees said that the strike regarding their pending demands is continuing across Punjab, and the agitation will not be called off until the government accepts their demands.

Union President Sunil Kumar stated that the general public is bearing the brunt of the government’s apathy. He alleged that the government is responsible for the breakdown of the sanitation system. Meanwhile, the ever-growing piles of garbage in the city are causing concern among residents. Pawan Chhabra, an office-bearer of the Medical Association, noted that the prolonged accumulation of garbage increases the risk of mosquitoes, flies, and infectious diseases. He urged the government to find a quick solution. Chand Mittal, a teacher, said it is not feasible to keep garbage inside homes for days on end, adding that this could adversely affect the health of children and the elderly. Residents have appealed to both the government and the employees to reach a speedy resolution to provide relief to the public.