GUNTUR: The strike by the municipal employees demanding cancellation of GO. 279 called it off on Thursday to the relief of the people go. The employees got an assurance from the government on the issue. The municipal employees strike affected sanitation in Guntur Municipal Corporation and municipalities of Guntur district. There are nearly 2,000 sanitation workers in Guntur city of whom nearly 650 workers are regular workers and the rest of the workers are contract workers. The contract workers are play an important role in the sanitation works but the government decided to give sanitation work to private contractors who would hire workers and pay wages. The present workers are opposing the the contract work and demanding cancellation of GO. 279 which was issued for the new system.
Though the GMC stated about making arrangements for sanitation, a majority of the roads in Guntur city became dirty with the piling of garbage. Sanitation workers S. Ramulu and others said that they have limited working hours and other facilities as they are getting wages directly from the GMC. They lamented that the GMC decided to give sanitation work to private contractors which would affect their lives and they have to work limitlessly without any rights. Hence, they are opposing the GO.
Locals P. Madan and others said that the three-day strike dirtied the streets and drains were stagnated. They lamented that due to the strike, garbage started decaying emanating unbearable smell and feared about spread of communicable diseases. They sought clearance of garbage piles as the strike has been called off. Aituc district vice-president K. Malyadri said that the government conducted talks with their JAC and gave assurance about doing justiceto them, hence they called off the strike. He warned that if the government fails to cancel the GO. 279 they will restart the agitation.
