Jaipur: The hunger strike launched by sanitation workers over pending recruitment demands entered its second day Saturday, with unions warning of a statewide work boycott if the govt fails to act by June 25. Members of the Sayukt Valmiki Evam Safayi Shramik Sangh began the protest on Friday at the Jaipur Municipal Corporation’s headquarters, demanding the implementation of earlier agreements related to sanitation worker recruitment and priority for workers who have been serving in urban local bodies on a contract or muster-roll basis.Union president Nandkishore Dandoriya said that several rounds of discussions and agreements have already taken place among representatives of the community, Jaipur Municipal Corporation and officials of the Local Self-Government Department. However, he claimed that no concrete decision was taken so far.“The govt announced recruitment for 30,000 sanitation worker posts. Of these, recruitment is to be carried out for 24,793 vacant positions. We have consistently raised our concerns regarding the process, but there has been no meaningful outcome. We will wait until June 25, and if no decision is taken, we will hold a meeting and launch a statewide work boycott from June 26,” Dandoriya said.He alleged the recruitment process now requires candidates to furnish ESI and PF records along with experience certificates, even though these provisions came into effect only in 2017. “Many sanitation workers were on contract and muster-roll arrangements long before 2017. Their experience should also be recognised. The current criteria risk excluding a large number of workers who have spent years doing this work,” he said.The union said it will continue the hunger strike while awaiting a response from the govt or the administration. .
