With sanitation workers on strike, garbage piles up in Taj city

Heaps of garbage is piling up here as thousands of safai karamcharis of the Agra Municipal Corporation are on strike since May 25, opposing transfers from one ward to the other.

Shyam Kumar Karunesh, a union leader, said that they will only call off their agitation when the transfer orders are cancelled.

Agra Municipal Commissioner Arun Prakash said some changes have been made to accommodate genuine cases, but the union leaders are not satisfied and a meeting has been called to sort out issues.

Meanwhile, garbage continued to pile up at road crossings, and in the lanes. "Garbage has not been lifted for past two three days in the Petha Mandi. Now the stink is unbearable," said shop keeper Anuj Kumar.

In Belanganj area, the drains were over-flowing. Sweeping of roads in some localities in the Taj Ganj remained suspended, while the municipal garbage dumps are overflowing.

The Taj city produces nearly 700 tons of domestic garbage daily which is collected and transferred by over 400 vehicles to the land fillsites across the river.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vijay Kumar said efforts were being made to lift garbage with private help.

The city employs around 5000 safai karamcharis, one third being hired on contract.

Corporators feared there could be an outbreak of diseases as the temperature was peaking.

--IANS

bk/vd