Shimla, May 30
Sanitation workers employed under the SAHEB Society staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla on Friday, demanding the reinstatement of 41 workers who were allegedly removed from service. The workers accused the Shimla Municipal Corporation of failing to honour its assurance regarding their reinstatement and warned of an indefinite strike from June 5 if their demands are not addressed during the society’s AGM scheduled for June 4.
Under the banner of CITU, hundreds of sanitation workers gathered with placards and raised slogans against the Municipal Corporation, demanding immediate restoration of jobs for the dismissed employees. Protesters claimed that the Mayor had assured them of reinstatement, but no formal orders had been issued even after eight days.
Following the demonstration, agitated workers marched to the Municipal Corporation House and attempted to enter the premises while raising slogans in support of the 41 employees. Police personnel deployed at the scene tried to stop the protesters, prompting a brief commotion within the Corporation premises.
The workers said the dismissed employees had been serving the city’s sanitation system for years and that their sudden removal had pushed many families into financial distress. The SAHEB Society warned that if no decision is taken at the June 4 AGM, sanitation workers will resume their strike from June 5, potentially disrupting waste collection services across Shimla.
