HYDERABAD: Municipal employees and workers all over the State, except in Hyderabad, will go on an indefinite strike from 6 a.m. on Monday demanding provincialisation of their services that will enable them to get wages from the treasury.

Initially, the strike in 109 municipalities and 12 corporations will affect only sanitation and administration. If the State Government continues to be adamant, essential services such as water supply and street lighting in the towns and cities would also be stopped, leaders of the struggle committee spearheading the agitation told a news conference here on Sunday. All the 14 unions representing municipal employees and workers in the State are part of the committee.

Notice served

The leaders, M. Satyanarayana, J. Ramachandraiah and Paladugu Bhaskar, said the committee had served the strike notice on none other than Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy when a delegation called on him on April 24.

The committee awaited a positive response from the Government following Dr. Reddy's assurance that he would look into the demand. But the Government was indifferent which drove them to the strike.

They said 38,500 employees and workers and 15,000 contract labourers will participate in the strike. In the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, however, only workers will strike work.

The corporation employees will join the agitation later.

They explained that the unions were driven to the agitation path because the staff were not getting their wages on schedule in the absence of payment of salaries through the treasury.

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