Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission chairman P. Raghu, on January 22, urged civic workers (pourakarmikas) to speak openly about their grievances, assuring them that the Commission had come to Mysuru to listen to their concerns and work towards resolving them.
He was addressing an interactive programme with civic workers and sanitation staff from urban and rural local bodies of Mysuru district. The programme was jointly organised by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Mysuru City Corporation, the District Urban Development Cell and the Social Welfare Department.
Acknowledging the contribution of sanitation workers, Mr. Raghu said they begin work before the rest of society to keep cities and villages clean and healthy. “Do not hesitate or fear. Place your problems here freely. We will take steps to resolve them,” he said.
He also clarified that civic workers are entitled to use toilets in any hotel and warned hoteliers against obstructing them. He added that complaints regarding the supply of poor‑quality food to civic workers would be taken up with the Deputy Commissioner for immediate resolution.
Advising workers to prioritise their children’s education, Mr. Raghu said that they should not feel compelled to pass on the same occupation to the next generation. He encouraged them to consider enrolling their children in institutions like Morarji Desai Residential Schools, Indira Gandhi Residential Schools and Navodaya Schools. “In the future, machines and modern equipment will take over many civic work tasks,” he noted.
Concerns raised
During the interaction, civic workers raised several concerns. They pointed out that the families of outsourced civic workers who die prematurely do not receive any benefits and demanded employment for their dependents. They also sought the abolition of the roster system in recruitment and requested housing under the Ashraya scheme for eligible workers.
Workers also complained about discrimination in the regularisation process, the poor quality of breakfast provided and delays in wage payments, which they noted were not being credited by the 5th of each month. They also mentioned that the Dasara advance, which the City Corporation typically distributed during the festival, was not provided this year, and that uniforms had not been supplied either.
They called for the expansion of free health check-ups to include all hospitals in the district rather than just a select few, and urged the filling of all vacant civic worker posts within the Mysuru City Corporation.
At the gram panchayat level, workers said they were not receiving equal pay for equal work, were not being provided site or plot facilities and demanded that gram panchayat civic workers be made permanent.
Rangegowda, joint director of the Social Welfare Department, Priyadarshini, project director of the District Urban Development Cell, officials from various departments and a large number of civic workers were present at the programme.
