The Diplomat Desk
Udhampur :-TDD,Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur is grappling with a growing sanitation crisis as a 16-day strike by safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) has led to overflowing garbage heaps. The situation escalated today when district authorities attempted to remove the accumulated waste, sparking a confrontation with the protesting workers.
Safai karamcharis, including their union president, reached near the Deputy Commissioner’s office , Barrian on Dhar Road to block the garbage removal efforts. Determined to prevent the trucks from leaving, they surrounded the dumpers and staged a sit-in protest on the road itself. Police intervened in the standoff and detained some sanitation workers, including their district president.
This incident highlights the growing frustration of sanitation workers who have been on strike for over two weeks. Their demands include regularization of long-term temporary workers, reinstatement of the old pension scheme, resolution of pending cases under SRO 43 (a government order pertaining to their service conditions), and creation of new sanitation worker positions. The strike has resulted in a sanitation emergency across Udhampur, with garbage piling up on streets and posing a potential health hazard.
The standoff between the sanitation workers and the authorities raises concerns about the unaddressed grievances of these essential workers. It remains to be seen if a solution can be reached to end the strike and restore sanitation services in Udhampur.TDD