CCP strikes back, begins waste collection in Panaji

PANAJI: Taking a strong stand against its 550 striking daily-wage workers, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) resumed garbage collection within the capital with the help of newly-hired workers on Friday, commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues said. “Our stand has been very clear from the start. Daily wage workers can’t go on strike. This sort of blackmail won’t work,” Rodrigues said.
In order to tackle the problem of garbage collection, the corporation has hired 100 workers on a seven-day contract.It is also expected to present a proposal before its councilors to outsource garbage collection to agencies, the commissioner said. Sources informed TOI that the city corporation will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday to resolve the issue.
The commissioner was seen personally ensuring that garbage was collected on Friday, even going to the extent of driving the garbage collection truck around the city. By the evening, the CCP had managed to clear garbage from hotels and hospitals within the corporation’s jurisdiction, as well as waste lying in the heart of the city. The focus from Saturday onwards will be on door-to-door garbage collection.
Facing an acute shortage of drivers, the corporation has advertised vacancies for the posts in various newspapers. As an interim measure, it has requested the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) to depute 10 drivers to maneuver its heavy vehicles.
“We have the support of the government, the police, the KTC, and even the people,” the commissioner added. The three-day strike has left the capital city reeling under heaps of garbage, with various sections of the city protesting against the stench. The CCP’s workers’ union led by advocate Ajitsing Rane went on strike demanding the regularization of the services of 338 workers and a hike in the daily wages of 600 employees among other demands. This is the second agitation by the city corporation's workers in the last four months.
Although negotiations between the CCP management and the striking employees had taken place on Tuesday both sides failed to compromise, sources said. The crisis has also been marred with threats of violence. Cases have been registered by both factions with the local police station. The CCP had also issued a notice to the striking workers to return to duty within 24 hours or face termination. The deadline lapsed on Friday midnight. tnn