Garbage collection services across Shimla were badly affected on Friday after around 800 employees of the SEHB Society went on an indefinite strike over the issue of a 10 percent annual salary increment. The strike has raised concerns about sanitation management in the capital city as waste collection from households and commercial establishments came to a halt in several areas.
The employees staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office and demanded that the Municipal Corporation fulfill their long-pending demands. The strike decision was taken after a meeting between the employees’ union and Municipal Corporation officials failed to reach a conclusion.
The SEHB Society handles garbage collection from nearly 60,000 households and commercial establishments in Shimla. With employees refusing to work, the city’s sanitation system faces the risk of disruption, particularly during the ongoing cleanliness survey.
Ahead of the strike, employees visited different localities on Thursday and distributed pamphlets to residents explaining their demands and the reasons behind the agitation. The workers alleged that the promised 10 percent annual salary increment had not been implemented despite repeated requests to the authorities.
Municipal Corporation officials claimed that alternative arrangements were being made to manage the situation and ensure that garbage does not pile up across the city. However, residents expressed concern that prolonged disruption could lead to unhygienic conditions in residential and market areas.
Saheb Society Employees Union said the employees would continue the strike until their demands were accepted by the Municipal Corporation administration.
Meanwhile, the district administration invoked the Himachal Pradesh Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1973 (ESMA), in view of the strike. Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap issued prohibitory orders on Thursday evening under Section 4 of the Act.
The administration warned that strict legal action would be taken if employees continued the strike in violation of ESMA provisions. Officials stated that sanitation services are essential for public health and that the order was issued to prevent inconvenience to city residents.
