Sanitation workers demand permanent SMC jobs

Surat: Sanitation workers (safai karmacharis) employed on daily wage basis by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) for cleaning and sweeping the city night and day have threatened to fast unto death to press their demand for permanent jobs.
The workers took out a protest rally from Saiyedpura to the SMC headquarters in Mughalsarai, demanding permanent jobs like Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has given its sanitation workers.

The workers said that the AMC has given sanitation workers permanent jobs which has raised their standard of living. The SMC must also give permanent jobs to the hundreds of sanitation workers in Surat.

The workers said that they face harassment from the private contractors who employ them. Some contractors also employ corrupt practices, such as billing the SMC for ghost workers.

One of the leaders of the agitation, Dhanji Vira, said, “Enough is enough. We are not slaves. We also have the right to get permanent jobs, as our fellow workers in Ahmedabad have. We want the SMC to end the contract system in the city, which is riddled with corruption.”

Vira added, “If our demands are not met, we are prepared to launch a fast unto death.”