PNS|Vijayawada
The Amaravati sanitation workers laid a siege to the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) office in Vijayawada on Thursday, demanding immediate payment of pending wages and security for their jobs. They raised slogans against the State government and CRDA. They wanted the authorities to release the pending wages for three months and not remove them from jobs from January.
The Amaravati sanitation workers had expressed their unhappiness over the delay in payment of wages several times and even given an ultimatum to the CRDA officials. As there was no response, the workers decided to stage a protest in front of the CRDA office at Lenin Centre in Vijayawada.
The police tried to prevent the protesters; however the women workers sat on the road in front of the CRDA office’s main gate and raised slogans. Meanwhile, a heated argument ensued between the police and the sanitation workers. They made it clear that they should not leave the place without getting a proper assurance from the CRDA officials.
CPM State secretariat member Ch Babu Rao and CITU leaders extended their support to the sanitation workers. The workers lamented that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the State government had neglected the sanitation workers and CRDA had decided to remove sanitation workers from their jobs in January.
Later, Babu Rao and CITU leaders Netaji, M Ravi and Bhagya Raj conducted talks with the CRDA officers. Subsequently, the CRDA authorities agreed to pay the pending wages as soon as possible, but the job issue would be reported to the State government. The sanitation workers insisted on getting a strong assurance regarding their jobs.
owever, the Amaravati sanitation workers called off their agitation temporarily. The association leaders stated that the State government should decide on the job by December 27. If the State government failed to take a favourable decision, they would stage an agitation along with their family members.
