Govt. brings 12 services, including solid waste management, in Bengaluru under ESMA

The State government has notified 12 functions in Bengaluru city, essentially solid waste management, water supply, public health, ambulance and crematorium services, among others, under the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act, 2013. 

The order issued on Friday said, “Government of Karnataka is of the opinion that a refusal to work by employees…would prejudicially affect the maintenance of public utility services which are necessary for the life of the community or would result in the infliction of grave hardship on the community”, making a case to bring these services under K-ESMA, 2013. 

The city has seen several strikes by Pourakarmikas and garbage collectors over the last decade and a half, which will become difficult henceforth, with this order. “Ironic that a government which can’t ensure even pay is made on time for auto drivers and loaders on  contract,  which can’t ensure that they have basic equipment wants to ensure that they won’t strike. Why will workers strike if the government treats them fairly? This is meant to make it difficult for workers to fight for their rights,” said Vinay Sreenivasa, a trade union leader working with pourakarmikas for over a decade now. 

The list of 12 services brought under K-ESMA, 2013 include: water, cleaning and sweeping of all streets, door-to-door collection, transportation and processing of waste, management and maintenance of all municipal water works, collection, removal, treatment and disposal of sewage, maintenance of ambulance service and service for conveying dead bodies to crematorium, among others.