Garbage piles up as pourakarmikas continue strike

Bangaloreans might have to bear the putridsmell from mounds of garbage dumped across the city for a few more days, as Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Officers and Employees Association have resolved to continue their stir. The strike is a fall out after BMTF booked criminal cases against 132 BBMP officials.

“We are not ready to buy the promise theory anymore. We want it in black and white that henceforth Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) will not torture us by booking false cases against us. Unless the State government give in writing to this effect, there is no question of calling off our strike,” said BBMP Officers and Employees Association President R Subramaniam.

Mayor D Venkateshmurthy told Express that he discussed with the Deputy Chief Minister and District-In-Charge Minister R Ashok regarding indefinite strike. He said “Ashok has promised to withdraw the controversial order regarding special powers being given to BMTF. It will take three to four days to make it official. Meanwhile, I have requested employees to resume their work from Thursday and promised to fulfil their demands within a week,” he said.

On Wednesday, heaps of garbage were seen across the city. All the BBMP offices in eight zones were deserted. More than 11,000 staff and pourakarmikas have gone on indefinite strike from Wednesday. Even pourakarmikas on contract too have extended their support to the strike. Subramaniam said, “When BMTF filed criminal cases against 30 officials, we had met DyCM Ashok, who had given an assured. After his assurances, BMTF Chief filed another 100 cases. We are not compromising with just assurances,” he clarified.

Prema Nagaraj, a resident of Girinagar said that they have kept the garbage bag outside and nobody  came in the morning to collect it. “We can’t keep garbage bags inside our home or compound. There is no alternative arrangement done,” she said.

Parvathamma, a flower vendor near Magadi road tollgate said that there is a Shani temple and a wedding hall nearby. “They have thrown flowers and plantain leaves on the median. We are flower vendors. Where should we sit and do our business,” she asked.