Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Mar 17: Garbage has not been collected in the city for the fourth day in succession. Apartments, houses and public area are filled with foul smell. Officials of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) are caught on a wrong foot and lack alternative method to find a solution for the problem.
The protest by outsourced workers began from March 13 throughout the state. They are saying that chief minister Basavaraj Bommai did not fulfil their demands. Main cities in Karnataka are facing the inconvenience of garbage stench and underground drainage issues.
Speaking on their demands, M B Naganna, president of outsourced employees’ state association, said, “On Wednesday, more outsourced workers have joined us in the protest at Freedom Park. We have appealed to CM Bommai to fulfil our main demands immediately. The finance department has already given the green signal. But CM has to sign the file. Now the file lies in the CM’s office. Till he puts his signature, our protest will continue.”
MCC commissioner Channabasappa said, “We are facing problems due to the strike of outsourced workers for the past three days. On Thursday, 30 vehicles were used to collect garbage from hotels, commercial buildings and spots where huge pile of waste is generated. We are not getting labourers. As the protest continues, we have decided to get civic workers and hired vehicles.”
KPCC district spokesperson and corporator A C Vinayraj said, “The whole limits of MCC is stinking due to no garbage collection for the past three days. The MCC should convey to general public the action they have taken in this regard. CM Bommai is not bothered to listen to the woes of civic workers throughout the state and is busy in election campaigning. If no action is taken, we will get down to the streets and protest against MCC.”
More than 50 workers of 22 wet wells and four STP units have stopped working. If faecal and urine waste of underground drainage is not cleared in time, the whole network will get blocked and the residents of city will face huge problem.