Pourakarmikas demand wage hike, regularisation

NT Correspondent

All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) organised a statelevel convention of pourakarmikas with the intent of demanding that services of all pourakarmikas across Karnataka be made permanent. The convention was held at Ambedkar Bhavan in Vasantnagar on Sunday.

“For decades, pourakarmikas predominantly belonging to the Dalit community have been engaged in the caste-ordained occupation of solid-waste management, which is the core and essential work of the urban local body with extremely vulnerable and exploitative conditions, without minimum wages or leave,” said Clifton Rozario, state president of AICCTU.

From 1-4 July, 2022, pourakarmikas across Karnataka went on strike demanding permanency and dignified work conditions. Due to the strike, the state government gave a written assurance that they would make all pourakarmikas permanent and also abolish the contract labour system in waste management.

However, only 11,133 workers were made permanent by the govt. “Our main demands include permanency, housing, basic amenities, financial assistance for education of children of all pourakarmikas, pension and settlement of retired workers besides compensation and compassionate employment to family members of deceased workers,” said Nirmala, president of the BBMP Pourakarmika Association.