Jhajjar/Bhiwani/Charkhi Dadri/Hisar: The sanitation workers’ strike in Haryana on Sunday continued to disrupt garbage collection across several towns, with confrontations taking place as municipal authorities brought in police and machinery to clear mounting waste.In Hisar, where workers have been on strike for 18 days, more than 3,600 tonnes of garbage has accumulated across the city. Municipal officials, backed by police, moved in around 5am to clear waste at ITI Chowk. Several protesting workers were detained after they opposed the operation.A confrontation also broke out between women sanitation workers and police. Police alleged the women threw garbage at personnel and were taken to the police lines in Roadways buses.The action came days after a clash at ITI Chowk. Police registered an FIR against 16 named workers, including Municipal Employees’ Union Hisar unit president Surender Golu and district president Santri, besides around 100 unidentified persons. The FIR alleges that workers obstructed a garbage-clearance team, climbed onto a JCB and pushed its driver down.In Charkhi Dadri, workers entered the 17th day of their strike on Sunday. The administration deployed JCBs, tractors, trolleys and police to clear accumulated waste. Eleven workers, including the union president, were detained after they opposed the operation and were kept at the city police station for nearly five hours. Employee organisations and Congress functionaries later held a protest march.In Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh, authorities launched a garbage-clearance operation around 2am, prompting striking workers to protest before a JCB. Some workers were detained. Employees alleged the night operation was aimed at weakening their agitation and claimed garbage was later dumped again at several locations.In Bhiwani, the administration removed around 90 trolley-loads of garbage from Circular Road through an agency under the supervision of deputy commissioner Sahil Gupta. Striking workers opposed the move and later protested outside the residence of MLA Ghanshyam Saraf.The workers are demanding regularisation of contractual employees, implementation of an agreement reached with the govt on May 13 and resolution of their 22-point charter. Agency workers also joined the strike in some towns, bringing door-to-door collection and waste removal to a halt.In Charkhi Dadri, residents reportedly set fire to garbage piles at some locations, with smoke spreading into nearby areas and prompting concerns over air pollution.Municipal authorities have said clearing accumulated waste is necessary to prevent inconvenience to residents and address sanitation concerns, while workers have maintained that they will continue the strike until their demands are addressed.
