Upset over State not implementing Direct Payment System, garbage collectors plan Delhi Chalo 

Upset over the Congress government in Karnataka not fulfilling its promise to bring garbage collectors like sweepers under the Direct Payment System (DPS), Karmika Samrakshana Trade Union, representing over 15,000 garbage collectors in the State, has decided to kick start a Delhi Chalo rally on July 25. 

“The entire Congress leadership had promised to free us from the clutches of contractors and bring us under DPS. It was part of their manifesto as well. But now, two years after coming to power, they are backtracking on this promise. So we have decided to march to Delhi and seek accountability from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi,” said Tyagaraj, president, Karmika Samrakshana Trade Union.

Speaking at the event where appointment letters to over 12,000 pourakarmikas were issued on May 1, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had promised that garbage collectors will soon be brought under DPS.

However, three weeks later in the last week of May, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that garbage collection and transportation tenders were called in 33 packages for a period of next seven years, essentially going back on the promise to bring garbage collectors under DPS and locking them up under contractors for the next seven years. These tenders have run into legal hurdles in the High Court of Karnataka. 

Sources said the contractors’ lobby has been strongly opposing taking out garbage collection and transportation from their hands. A section of bureaucracy has also opposed the civic body, or BSWML, taking over the operation completely, sources said. They cite a lack of vehicles, infrastructure, and a lack of credible rolls to bring garbage collectors on the rolls of the civic body.

“Finally, it’s a policy decision by the political executive. In the absence of any directions to bring garbage collectors under DPS, we are continuing with the contract system,” a senior civic official said.