Staff strike hits garbage collection in city yet again

Nagpur: Door-to-door garbage collection was yet again affected in half the city on Monday after around 1,200 sanitary workers working with AG Enviro went on a flash strike protesting salary deduction by the company. Workers from Zones 1 to 5 staged protest outside the firm's Nagpur office near Baidyanath square.
The areas affected were under Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Hanuman Nagar, Nehru Nagar and Dhantoli zones that have institutional quarantine centres like Symbiosis College, VNIT, Vanamati and MLA Hostel.
According to the workers, as per rules they should get two days’ off every month. The company was allegedly denying this benefit to the workers. “Our salary is being calculated on the basis of 26 days after deducting four weekly off,” said workers.
In May, the workers of the firm had stalled work after the company undertook a retrenchment drive. Recently workers of BVG India, the second garbage collecting company, too had stopped collection over salary deduction.
NMC deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management) Dr Pradip Dasarwar said, “The firm has been directed to resolve the issue at the earliest or we will initiate disciplinary action against AG Enviro.” Following assurance from the firm, the workers said that they will resume the work from Tuesday.
Sources pointed out since the ousting of Kanak Resources Management Ltd and appointment BVG India and AG Enviro, the agitations by their employees have increased in frequency. “Almost every month, employees of either of the two firms resort to strike over wages issue,” said sources.
NMC scored zero in Swachh Bharat Mission’s garbage free contest and the frequent strike shows how the civic body is handling the issue, said sources.
Residents, meanwhile, said the door-to-door garbage collection has deteriorated since the appointment of the two companies. Dinesh Vaishnao, a resident of Hudkeshwar, said, “Since the new firm has been assigned job of door-to-door garbage collection, we have never seen them coming at our locality daily. They come only twice a week.”