Civic Body and Workers Clash in Bharuch as Sanitation Employees Protest Alleged Salary Delays

Bharuch Witnesses Sanitation Worker Demonstration Over Wage Concerns, Highlighting Gaps in Contractor Payment System.

The door-to-door garbage collection system in Bharuch has ground to a complete halt, leaving the city grappling with mounting waste and public health concerns as workers enter their third consecutive day of protest. The strike was sparked by allegations that employees have not received their salaries for the past five months, with workers claiming that each individual is owed approximately Rs.70,000—a staggering figure that has pushed many to the brink of financial collapse.

 On the third morning of the agitation, the protest intensified in the Zadeshwar area, where drivers, who typically signal their arrival with rhythmic honking, instead staged a "siren protest" by honking their vehicle horns simultaneously to draw attention to their plight. With all collection vehicles parked and services suspended, the city’s cleanliness infrastructure has effectively collapsed, leading to unsightly and hazardous garbage piles in residential and commercial zones.

The situation has become particularly sensitive due to the onset of the holy month of Ramadan, a time when foot traffic in market areas and near mosques increases significantly. Citizens have expressed growing anger over the administration’s perceived inaction, as the stench and risk of disease from the accumulating waste threaten the city’s public health. In response to the crisis, Bharuch Municipal Service Council's Chief Officer, Harish Agrawal, clarified that the municipality has already disbursed the necessary funds to the private contractor responsible for the service.

This revelation has shifted the focus toward a lack of transparency and supervision within the contractor system, as the funds clearly failed to reach the laborers. While the Chief Officer has issued an ultimatum to the contractor to resume services by this evening, both the workers and the general public remain skeptical, demanding a concrete timeline for the disbursement of the pending lakhs in wages rather than mere verbal assurances.