Bengaluru: Contract pourakarmika dies, family, colleagues protest

Bengaluru: Over 300 pourakarmikas and their family members protested outside the BBMP office in Yelahanka demanding better financial benefits for contract workers.

They were protesting following the death of Anjanappa (45), a contract pourakarmika, who breathed his last after a cardiac arrest on Sunday. The protesters refused to conduct the last rites, placed the body in front of the BBMP office and demanded Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased.

The pourakarmikas  also sought better financial benefits for contract pourakarmikas and demanded that they be appointed as permanent employees.

Mr Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner, Yelahanka zone, said that the BBMP has given Rs 7,500 to the family of the deceased and is no provision to give more financial benefits to contract workers.

“He was a contract pourakarmika for the last 20 years, but he was not a permanent employee. The family sought Rs 5 lakh compensation, while other pourakarmikas demanded that they be given more financial sops. I have forwarded all their demands to the administrator,” he said.

Mr Khan said that there are no salary dues to pourakarmikas, including contract workers.