Kashipur: sanitation workers dump garbage at Maharana Pratap Chowk on Diwali over unpaid salaries; Mayor tells contractor to put Rs 10,000 into each worker's account

Sanitation workers (paryavaran mitras) in Kashipur protested on Diwali, Sunday (November 8), by dumping garbage at Maharana Pratap Chowk, the city's main crossing, after the company holding the city's sanitation contract did not pay their salaries. According to Amar Ujala, Mayor Deepak Bali reached the spot as soon as he was informed, spoke to officials of the contractor company and directed that Rs 10,000 be put into the account of every sanitation worker by 2 pm that day. The Mayor told the workers that their demand and protest were justified, but the city belongs to everyone and it should be kept clean on this big festival. The workers then began picking up the garbage they had dumped and returned to work. According to the Mayor, the municipal corporation had paid the company three days earlier, but the company did not pay the workers, which he called a serious matter. He said the company's functioning will be reviewed and, if needed, its contract will be cancelled and the sanitation work given to another company through a fresh tender. The report does not carry the company's side, nor does it say whether the money reached the accounts by 2 pm.