Haryana Sanitation Workers Demand ₹525 Diwali Gift, Sweets, and Pending Salaries by Nov 6

CHANDIGARH: Ahead of the Diwali festivities, sanitation workers (Safai Karamcharis) in Haryana have raised a strong demand for their festive gifts, which include a token amount of ₹525 and sweets. The Municipal Employees Union, Haryana, has written a formal letter to the Director of the Urban Local Bodies Department, urging immediate intervention to ensure these benefits are disbursed.

The union has also demanded that the pending salaries for the month of October be released by November 6.

Officials Allegedly Denying Benefits

According to the union, the Haryana State Safai Karamchari Commission had already recommended the timely payment of salaries along with the ₹525 token amount and sweets for Diwali. Despite these clear instructions, the union is receiving widespread complaints that officials across municipalities, municipal councils, municipal corporations, and other government boards and universities are refusing to grant these benefits.

The union has strongly condemned this denial, calling it highly unjustified. Official estimates from the union suggest that there are around 50,000 regular and irregular sanitation workers in the state who are yet to receive their Diwali gifts.

Key Demands of the Employees Union

The Municipal Employees Union has asked the Urban Local Bodies department to issue strict and clear instructions to all relevant authorities. The union's primary demands include:

• Universal Benefits: The Diwali gift and sweets should be provided to all categories of sanitation workers, including regular staff, municipal roll workers, daily wagers, Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam (HKRN) employees, contractual staff, door-to-door collectors, part-time workers, and those hired through private contractors.

• Pending Salaries: The October salaries of all regular, irregular, door-to-door, and sewer maintenance workers must be released by November 6. The union alleged that contractors in most municipal bodies are showing severe negligence in paying workers on time.

• Inclusion of Sewermen: The festive gift of ₹525 and sweets should also be extended to sewermen and other municipal staff.

"Government Should Not Hesitate on Diwali"

Naresh Shastri, President of the Municipal Employees Union Haryana, stated that sanitation workers toil day and night to keep cities and institutions clean.

"It is deeply unfortunate that authorities are making excuses when it comes to giving them their rightful salaries and festive gifts," Shastri said. He urged the state government not to hesitate in granting these minor benefits, at least on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. The union has appealed to the government to issue immediate directives so that these essential workers can celebrate the festival with dignity alongside their families.