Noida covered in garbage as sanitation workers continue to strike

Heaps of garbage are accumulating across the city as contracted sanitation workers continued their strike for the ninth consecutive day. Residents said they have complained to the Noida authority about the problem and will seek help from higher authorities if the authority doesn’t clean it up soon.

“We have written to the Noida authority about the problem but no action has been taken so far. The garbage heaps are getting bigger and emanating a foul smell in all sectors of the city,” NP Singh, president of the federation of Noida’s resident welfare association (Fonrwa), said.

The worst affected areas are sectors 27, 28, 37 and 49.

The logjam continued on Thursday as talks between the authority officials and the contractual workers’ association failed. The workers are demanding direct transfer of their salaries to their accounts. Presently, the contractors, who arrange for the workers, control and distribute their salaries.

Mahipal Singh, president of the Noida authority employees’ union, said they want the authority to pay them directly.

“We do not want any more harassment by middlemen, who are hand in glove with authority officials and are trying to divide employees with false assurances,” he said.

Forty percent of the contractual workers who work for the Noida authority are employed with the sanitation department. Residents said that it is the job of the authority to keep the satellite city clean.

“Whether they negotiate or find some other alternative, residents of the city should not suffer. If the authority fails to act, we will seek help from higher authorities in Lucknow,” Singh said.

Noida generates nearly 500 tonnes of municipal waste every day and the authority spends ₹40 crore a year on sanitation. The situation has worsened as the heaps of garbage also pose a health hazard to the residents.

The authority officials are currently in a meeting to resolve the situation.