DH NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, Feb 23
Senior BJP leader and MLA Bahu Constituency, Vikram Randhawa today met with a delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Safai Mazdoor Sangh, led by its State General Secretary Amar Mooman and listened to the long-pending grievances of Safai Karamcharis in Jammu and Kashmir.
The delegation submitted a memorandum detailing the key issues faced by sanitation workers and urged immediate intervention for their resolution.
During the meeting, Amar Mooman apprised the MLA of the challenges faced by Safai Karamcharis, particularly the demand for the regularization of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) employees who have completed seven years of service. He expressed concern over the increasing trend of outsourcing sanitation services, which has led to job insecurity and exploitation of contractual workers. He urged the administration to halt such outsourcing practices and instead provide stable employment to these essential workers.
The delegation also highlighted serious concerns regarding the non-deposit of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) by contractors despite regular deductions from workers’ salaries. They demanded stringent action against defaulters to ensure workers receive their rightful benefits. Another major demand raised was the implementation of the old pension scheme for all Safai Karamcharis in J&K, ensuring financial security post-retirement. The delegation insisted on the execution of the “Same Work, Same Pay” policy for all workers, including daily wagers and contractual employees, as per Supreme Court guidelines and DPC of all Cadres. Additionally, the delegation pressed for the immediate clearance of pending cases under SRO 43 and the disbursement of pending salary arrears of JMC and SMC sanitation workers from 2005, 2008, and 2010.
Vikram Randhawa appreciated the invaluable role of sanitation workers in maintaining public health and hygiene, acknowledging their relentless efforts despite challenging working conditions. He emphasized that Safai Karamcharis are the backbone of urban cleanliness and deserve dignity, job security, and proper welfare measures.
The senior BJP leader assured the delegation that their genuine demands, including regularization, financial security, and fair wages, would be strongly advocated at the highest levels. He reiterated BJP’s commitment to ensuring better working conditions for sanitation workers and stressed the need for administrative reforms to address their long-pending grievances, recognizing their contributions as essential to society’s well-being.
