After four days of continuous agitation, the pourakarmika protest was called off on Monday, July 4, after their demands were given in writing by the government of Karnataka. The protest being called off was confirmed by the All India Central Council Of Trade Unions (AICCTU) on its Twitter account. The indefinite protest that began on July 1 across the state of Karnataka demanded the regularisation of pourakarmikas. The government has given a deadline of three months for this process. Pourakarmikas are civic workers who take up the job of keeping the city clean, such as sweeping roads and door-to-door garbage collection.
Along with pourakarmikas being regularised, contractual workers such as auto drivers, loaders and helpers will be brought under the direct payment system. Their other demands were for post-retirement pension along with housing, maternity health and education benefits.
The victory is ours!! Inquilab Zindabad! Workers unity long live! pic.twitter.com/uPK2nYJ1Dj
— AICCTU Karnataka (@aicctukar) July 4, 2022
“The Karnataka government has agreed to make their jobs permanent after setting up a committee which will include representatives of pourakarmika unions that will come up with the appointment rules. The committee will also look into implementation of ‘equal pay for equal work’ for the workers. In pursuance of this, the legislative assembly will propose a special law in the upcoming assembly session,” said the statement by BBMP Powrakarmikara Sangha.
On July 2, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said that pourakarmikas would be regularised. In a meeting with the BBMP Pourakarmika Sangha, the CM also assured them verbally that that pourakarmikas’ jobs will be made permanent within three months, contractual drivers of garbage vehicles and helpers will be brought under direct payment, and a committee will be formed to help make their jobs permanent. However, the protest had continued since these assurances weren’t reflected in the minutes of the proceedings.
The protest had left several areas in the city badly affected as the door-to-door garbage collection was not carried out. According to The Times of India, areas such as Vijayanagara, Attiguppe and J P Nagar were the worst affected.