Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who arrived to assess the city’s sanitation system under the ‘Clean Punjab Mission,’ faced protests and complaints regarding salaries from sanitation workers. The Minister conducted surprise inspections in various areas to review cleanliness and interacted directly with residents to gather information on the local sanitation situation. However, the workers’ resentment also became evident during the inspection.
Minister Harjot Singh Bains toured various areas within Zone A and Zone B, inspecting the sanitation arrangements in colonies and public spaces. He spoke with local residents, asking whether sanitation workers visited the area regularly and if the cleanliness standards were satisfactory.
During the inspection in Zone B, sanitation workers raised the issue of non-payment of salaries before the Minister. They explained that many had not received their wages for a long time, leading to a financial crisis for them.
A scuffle and heated exchange took place between the protesters and the police. Photo: Ajay Sharma
Minister Bains seeks details on the matter
The Minister asked the officials present on the spot for the reason behind this. Officials explained that many workers could not be regularized due to age limit constraints, and in some cases, lengthy administrative procedures were causing salary-related issues.
After hearing the officials, the Minister directed the concerned departmental officers to improve the system and ensure a process for the timely release of workers’ salaries. He stated that the legitimate grievances of the workers should be resolved on a priority basis.
Meanwhile, the situation escalated in Zone A when sanitation workers attempted to submit a memorandum detailing their demands to the Minister. The workers alleged that the Minister left the spot without accepting the memorandum. Following this, the agitated workers began raising slogans against the government and staged a protest.
No salary for three months
Members of the struggle committee stated that many workers had not received their salaries for two to three months. Some employees are being denied their salaries citing age limit constraints, while many others have not yet been regularized. They demanded that the government resolve their issues promptly.
In view of the situation, the police arrived at the scene and pacified the employees. Meanwhile, Mayor Indrajit Kaur stated that the Minister’s visit was strictly for a surprise inspection; there was no pre-scheduled program to accept memoranda from any organization or employee group.
Discussions regarding the employees’ demands and salary-related issues are currently underway. The employees are now keenly awaiting the government and administration’s next course of action.
