Mysuru: Don’t be surprised if you see heaps of garbage and clogged drainages raising a stink on roads in city ahead of Dasara Nada Habba. Pourakarmikas, hired on contract basis and also the regular ones appointed by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), will stop all cleaning work from Oct.3.

Their “Broom Down” is against the State Government policies and comes at a time when the city is gearing up for a grand Dasara celebration.

They have set a deadline of Oct.2 for the Government to fulfil their demands. If the Pourakarmikas go on strike, it will be a new headache for the MCC and the District Administration as there will be just eight days (from Oct.3) for the festivities to begin on Oct.10.

A massive rally was taken out from Town Hall to Deputy Commissioner’s Office this morning by Pourakarmikas who are pressing for their demands. They wore black stripes on their arms, registering their protest. There are over 1,800 Pourakarmikas doing the cleaning work in city and over 1,500 of them participated in the rally.

Former Mayor Narayan, who is the President of Karnataka State Corporation, Municipality, Town Municipality Pourakarmika Federation, led the protest. “We will stop all cleaning works from the morning of Oct. 3 and will not participate in Dasara cleaning works too until our demands are met,” the Pourakarmikas said as they marched along the streets shouting slogans against the Government.

Among their demands are scrapping of the Contract System while hiring Pourakarmikas.

Though the State Government had abolished contract Pourakarmika system in local bodies as per the order issued on July 12, 2017, the MCC had not implemented the order.

“All recruitments must be done by the MCC and the wages have to be paid accordingly,” they said.

As of now, Mysuru has one Pourakarmikas per 700 population. This number is unscientific and must be reduced to 500 and more Pourakarmikas must be hired, they demanded.