Nellore: Sanitation workers stage protest in support of demands

Nellore: CPM leaders and sanitation workers of the civic body staged a protest in the city on Tuesday demanding solutions to their pending issues. The said the families of deceased sanitation workers were given an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh during the previous government and now it has been reduced to Rs 2 lakh.

Sanitation workers staged protest at the muster points of 42nd, 48th, 49th and 50th divisions in the city at 5.30 am.

CITU city secretary G Nageswara Rao said the civic body hasn't been following guidelines set by the government and depriving the sanitation workers ot their weekly offs.

They have been facing problems with no rest and heavy workload, he said. The CITU leader also said workers were also facing health issues as they are working in vulnerable conditions without proper safety gear.

He also criticised that the civic body is utilising their services even without enhancing the strength of workers in proportion to the increase in city population. He pointed out that eight workers recently died due to ill-health.

He deplored the decision to reduce the ex gratia paid to the kin of the deceased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. He demanded ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh to each family of deceased workers immediately. CPM city secretary K Srinivasulu, Municipal Workers Union leaders and others were present.