Korpana Nagar Panchayat sanitation workers stop work over pay, PF and safety gear

Sanitation workers of the Korpana Nagar Panchayat have stopped work from October 1, 2026. They have taken the step over three issues: wages, the provident fund (PF) and safety equipment. They have also warned of a sit-in protest with their families at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk from October 2. The workers have said they will not call off the agitation until their demands are addressed and they get justice.

According to the workers, they have been working on a contract basis for some years. During this period, PF contributions were deducted from their wages. They say they were never given clear information on whether the amount was regularly deposited in their PF accounts. They have also alleged that they were not paid the minimum wage or salaries as per the prescribed rules.

The workers had earlier submitted memorandums to the District Collector, the Safai Karmachari Commission and the Chief Officer of the Nagar Panchayat. They want a probe into the entire matter. They have also asked that they be given official details of where and when the PF amounts for that period were deposited.

The workers say some of them had given details of a nationalised bank account and documents such as Aadhaar cards to the concerned persons. They claim that wages were subsequently handled through other bank accounts. They believe the true position will emerge if those bank transactions and, if necessary, CCTV footage are examined.

Another serious allegation is that signatures were taken from some workers on blank withdrawal slips. The workers also claim there is a difference between the amount they actually received and the amount deducted from their wages or for PF. They have demanded an independent and impartial inquiry into all these transactions to bring out the facts.

The workers also have a grievance over safety equipment. They say that although the contract provides for safety equipment, they did not receive the necessary safety kits regularly. This has raised concerns about their safety. They have therefore asked the Nagar Panchayat to examine the terms of the contractors' agreements, wage records, attendance registers, bank transactions, PF records and records of the distribution of safety equipment.

The workers also want a special audit of wage and PF transactions of the past eight to ten years, action as per rules against anyone found guilty, and written details of pending dues and PF for every worker.

Charandas Pandhare, Vishal Dhote, Pandurang Meshram, Anandrao Apte, Badal Bhagat, Raja Atram, Sudhakar Atram, Digambar Salunke, Sanjay Malekar, Prakash Sidam and other sanitation workers have demanded that the administration take urgent notice.

With the workers off the job, daily cleanliness in the Nagar Panchayat area is likely to be affected. Citizens have expressed the hope that the administration will take note of the agitation, conduct an objective inquiry into the workers' complaints, examine the documents and transactions, and take an appropriate decision.

The workers' main demands are: full details of PF amounts for the past eight to ten years; an independent inquiry or audit of wage and PF transactions; payment of pending wages and other dues; implementation of minimum wage rules; safety equipment as per the contract terms; action as per rules if irregularities are found; and urgent attention by the administration to the sit-in at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk from October 2.