The strike by sanitation workers of Dehradun entered its 12th day on Thursday as officials struggled to tackle the sanitation crisis being faced in provisional state capital. Meanwhile, former Dehradun mayor and Dharmpur MlA Vinod Chamoli also met the protesting workers in an attempt to make them resume work without success.
leader of the protesting sanitation workers, Rajesh Kumar said, “A meeting was organised with former mayor Vinod Chamoli on Thursday. He asked for some time-- four-five days to do something to take the issue forward while asking us to withdraw our strike. We will not take back away from our demands until they are met. No amount of pressure from the authorities will affect our strike. Each and every member or our union will be here at MCD every day to demonstrate in suppor of our demands.”
The former mayor Vinod Chamoli stressed on the need for cooperation between government and workers. He said, “The city is covered in heaps of garbage and the condition is getting worse by the day. I have asked the government officials to hear their demands but due to some reason, the process is taking time. Whatever will be done in this case is in the hands of the state government. I am trying my best to talk to everyone and have also requested the sanitation workers to get back to work as going on strike is not the solution.
Their absence from work is causing the city to fill up with garbage.”
When asked about the solution to the standoff he said, “The work which these workers do is different. Not everybody is able to do the kind of work which these workers do. Keeping this in mind, the state government should also work to create a separate official body which can take care of their rights and betterment too.”