RMC sanitation workers strike called off after mayor’s intervention

Ranchi: The proposed strike by over 500 sanitation workers of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) was averted on Friday after mayor Asha Lakra announced that she will request the state government to provide Covid incentives to front-line workers of the civic body.
Earlier on Friday morning, more than 500 sanitation workers and drivers of garbage-collection vehicles, among others, assembled near Albert Ekka Chowk and blocked traffic for nearly three hours. The agitators demanded that the civic body continue to pay them a monthly Covid incentive of Rs 2,000. The protesters decided to withdraw the agitation only after Lakra rushed to Albert Ekka Chowk and assured them about talking to the government.
Talking to TOI, Lakra said: “We had decided during a board meeting to give an additional sum of Rs 2,000 to all our front-line workers for three months from March to May, to boost their morale in the fight against Covid-19. But as RMC is also facing financial constraints, we have not been able to continue the incentive scheme after the initial three months.”
“I have written to the state urban development department to provide us funds so that we can pay our front-line workers the additional amount, but the state government does not appear to be serious about the issue,” Lakra added.
A sanitation worker, Hemlata Devi, said, “Everybody wants to be clean and sanitized these days owing to the threat of coronavirus. But they do not want to take care of people who are helping to keep their environment and the surroundings clean.” “Is this fair?” she asked.