UP IN ARMS: Municipal workers staging a demonstration in support of their demands in Kurnool on Thursday. — Photo U.Subramanyam

KURNOOL: Municipal workers staged a rasta-roko here on Thursday to protest against the delay in conceding of their demands by the Government. Traffic was disrupted for half-an-hour at Raj Vihar centre.

Meanwhile, Minister for Municipal Administration Koneru Ranga Rao asked Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to take action against those who tried to prevent workers from reporting for duty. Also, he asked them to prepare contingency plans to meet any emergency.

Talks to be held

He said the Government would hold talks with representatives of striking employees and all legitimate demands would be conceded. Collector M. Dana Kishore told the Minister at a video-conference that contract workers were drafted for drainage and sanitation work in the city and other towns. Special officers were posted to coordinate with the workers.

Kadapa Staff Reporter writes: Strike by municipal employees and workers reached the fourth day in Kadapa Municipal Corporation and five municipalities in the district.

Garbage piling up

Employees and workers staged a dharna in front of the Kadapa Municipal Corporation office and prevented private contract workers from doing their duties. They obstructed some private workers engaged by the corporation and set ablaze their brooms near Koti Reddy circle. The strike has a telltale effect on sanitation with garbage piling up and drains getting choked and overflowing at some places.

Municipal employees' demands for disbursement of salary and pension through treasury, provincialisation of their services, restoration of hereditary appointment of sanitary workers and regularisation of temporary workers were justified but the Government was adamant in considering them, union president Muniswamy and general secretary Sriramulu alleged. CITU leaders -- Tirupal and Narasimha expressed support to the strikers.

Municipal workers picketed Badvel municipality office and locked up the office after forcibly sending out Municipal Commissioner Nallanaiah and Town Planning Officer Chandrasekhar. Municipal Employees' Association leaders -- Madhu Kumar, Balaraju, Mahabub Basha and Shibathulla -- and CITU, AITUC, BC Sangham and Kulavivaksha Vyatireka Porata Sangham leaders participated.

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