As the sanitation workers in Dehradun continued their strike for the 10th day on Tuesday, the Municipal Corporation Dehradun undertook alternate cleaning measures in the presence of police and district administration officials. The municipal commissioner Vijay Kumar Jogdande also removed the night shift sanitation workers and nullah ganga members who were found to be absent from work.
Even as piles of garbage have continued to grow larger in various localities of Dehradun due to the strike, the MCD continued alternate measures for cleaning. On Tuesday morning, the MCD staff in the presence of the police and magistrate, undertook clearing of about 10 garbage points in the town. Using 14 vehicles, a total of 140 tonnes of garbage was cleared from points at Nalapani, Parade Ground, Municipal Chowk, Government Doon Medical College Hospital, lakkhibagh and Patelnagar during the morning. The garbage was transported to the transfer station at Kargi Chowk. later, the municipal commissioner with staff members, civil defence and volunteers also undertook special cleaning near the NIVH on Rajpur Road. Asking the striking workers to return to work or face imposition of ‘no work, no pay’ principle, the municipal commissioner also removed with immediate effect the 44 night shift workers and 120 nullah gang members who were found to be absent from work.
Meanwhile the striking sanitation workers have remained adamant on their stance. Sanitation workers’ leader Rajesh Kumar said, “Nothing has been done by the officials yet. We were called for meetings but no resolution has given to us, because of which we will continue our strike for as long as it takes to get our demands met.”