Around 1,034 pourakarmikas, including sweepers and drainage cleaners, attached to Kalaburagi City Corporation were forced to go on strike on Saturday demanding an immediate clearance of their dues.
The agitating pourakarmikas said that though they work for years to keep the city streets and drains clean, the authorities have failed to clear their salary dues for the last four months .
There are about 1,034 pourakarmikas who work as sweepers and drain cleaners; the monthly salary fixed for these pourakarmikas was around ₹21,000.
A pourakarmika, requesting anonymity, told The Hindu that when the workers ask the concerned officials to pay their salary regularly, they are threatened with termination by them.
Another pourakarmika Sharada Bai said that she had to take loans to meet her daily expenses and take care of her family. “While the rest of the city celebrated the festival of lights last week, we [Pourkarmikas] are forced to work without a day off to clear the waste accumulated across the city streets and drains,” she said.
