Garbage piles up as sanitation strike drags on; civic body warns workers

Panchkula : With sanitation workers extending their month-long strike by another three days despite the Haryana govt's offer of benefits and warning of action, Panchkula's garbage crisis is deepening by the day. Roadside dumps have grown larger across the city, door-to-door waste collection has become erratic, and overflowing bins can be seen spilling waste onto streets and open spaces. Residents say the situation has worsened during the monsoon, with rainwater turning garbage into foul-smelling leachate and attracting stray dogs and cattle. Although the municipal corporation (MC) has deployed its own vehicles and JCBs to clear garbage hotspots, the visible accumulation of waste continues. After nearly a month of disrupted sanitation services, overflowing garbage and unclean streets have become a common sight in several areas. 'What kind of smart city are we trying to build? Garbage dumps greet you almost everywhere,' said RC Bector, a member of the Sector 6 Residents Welfare Association. He said irregular garbage collection, foul smell and unhygienic conditions during the monsoon have heightened concerns over dengue and malaria. JJP Panchkula district president OP Sihag claimed hundreds of tonnes of waste had piled up in Panchkula, Kalka and Pinjore, warning that continued disruption could trigger a serious sanitation and public health crisis. MC urges staff to return, cites govt benefits Municipal commissioner Vinay Kumar appealed to striking sanitation workers to resume duties, citing the Haryana govt's decision to extend several benefits to eligible contractual employees. He said eligible workers would receive job security till the age of 60 under the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Tenure) Act, 2024. Other benefits, including dearness allowance (DA), death-cum-retirement gratuity (DCRG), maternity leave and hardship allowance, would also be extended as per applicable provisions. Kumar said sanitation workers with more than 10 years of service would be entitled to a minimum monthly remuneration of Rs 25,560. The commissioner warned workers to resume duties and avoid penal or disciplinary action under applicable rules. He maintained that the civic body had continued sanitation operations through field monitoring, deployment of teams and interventions at vulnerable locations. Appealing to residents for cooperation, Kumar urged them to hand over waste only to authorised collection vehicles and avoid dumping garbage at public places. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chandigarh | Silver Rate in Chandigarh | Bank Holidays in Chandigarh | Public Holidays in Chandigarh | Chandigarh AQI | Weather in Chandigarh | Petrol Price in Chandigarh | Diesel Price in Chandigarh | CNG Price in Chandigarh | LPG Price in Chandigarh Stay updated with the latest Chandigarh news. Download the TOI App.