MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council and the contractor appointed for garbage collection have together hit a new low of apathy against the poor labourers and people of Margao.
The MMC and the garbage collection contractors have not paid the wages to the labourers for at least two months. The poor labourers who now don’t even have money to buy a packet of milk have urged for some sympathy. Fear is being expressed that if all the unpaid labourers stop collecting garbage, Margao town is going to stink.
Some months ago, Bhargava Facilities Pvt Ltd was appointed to collect garbage in Margao. The contractor, who started the work on July 3, was expected to do a good job with his experience of handling garbage at the airport. However, the labourers and supervisors employed by the contractor and the previous labourers of MMC who were shifted to the contractor have not received their wages for at least two months. There are over 48 labourers employed by the contractor.
Bhargava Facilities Manager Sujit said, “The labourers who were employed by the company haven’t been paid their wages for the last four to five months. And yet, the poor labourers have not stopped work, but they don’t have the money to even buy a milk packet to feed their kids, nor have money to buy a meal.”
“The company has not paid and even the municipality hasn’t paid. The company tells that the MMC has not released the payment to them. These hungry labourers plead to the Chief Officer and the Company to resolve the matter soon and pay their wages,” he said.
He also said that they were assured of payment for outstanding wages by Friday last week but haven’t got any. The labourers say that they will have to stop lifting garbage if they don’t get payments.
Councillor Ketan Kurtarkar said that this is an attempt of the municipal administration to put not just the poor labourers in trouble but also the people of Margao town.
“The labourers have not been paid for four to five months; and I can’t imagine the number of troubles which the poor labourers and the people of Margao town will face in the next eight days if the system collapses,” he said.
Kurtarkar blamed the chief officer for the delay in paying wages to the labourers. “When I asked the officials why the labourers have not been paid their wages, they say that there is accent from all the responsible departments and is only waiting for the signs of Chief Officer. The Chief Officer has to tell why he hasn’t signed the file and whether he expects something from the labourers?” Kurtarkar asked.
At least 10 labourers who had stopped picking garbage from their designated areas were assured of payment, but never got any till date. Therefore, the Margao garbage collection system is on a verge of yet another collapse.
