Shimla Garbage Crisis Deepens as MC Terminates 40 SEHB Workers Amid Strike
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Shimla,May 20: The ongoing indefinite strike by SEHB sanitation workers in Shimla has intensified, severely affecting the city’s cleanliness and daily life. In a major action on Wednesday, the Municipal Corporation (MC) Shimla terminated the services of 40 striking workers, including key leaders associated with the SEHB Employees’ Union affiliated with CITU.
The sanitation workers have been on strike for the past five days demanding restoration of the annual 10 percent honorarium hike. The strike has disrupted door-to-door garbage collection across nearly 32 kilometres of the municipal area, leaving heaps of waste piled up at several locations across the city.
The crisis has caused inconvenience not only to local residents but also to tourists visiting the state capital. Stray dogs and monkeys rummaging through garbage dumps have further worsened the situation, making movement difficult in many areas.
The action against the employees comes after the district administration had imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), warning workers against disrupting essential public services. Municipal authorities cited continued disruption of sanitation services as the reason for the termination.
A meeting between Mayor Surender Chauhan and the protesting workers was held on Tuesday, where discussions reportedly took place regarding conditional withdrawal of the strike. The workers demanded a written assurance on the restoration of the 10 percent honorarium increase before resuming work. However, no written commitment was issued, following which the workers decided to continue their agitation.
Several organisations, including CPM, hotel unions, street vendors’ associations, health institution workers, SFI, DYFI, Himachal Kisan Sabha, women’s groups and pensioners’ associations, have extended support to the striking workers and announced participation in protest activities.
More than 800 sanitation workers employed under the SEHB system are demanding continuation of the annual 10 percent increment. The Municipal Corporation, however, has reportedly decided to discontinue the increment and instead provide alternative benefits, leading to the present deadlock.
The situation has also raised concerns over Shimla’s performance in the ongoing Swachh Survekshan rankings, as mounting garbage across the city could negatively impact its cleanliness score.
Interestingly, a similar strike by SEHB workers around 12 years ago had also resulted in the termination of 40 employees, making the current action reminiscent of the earlier labour dispute.
