Daily life in Uttarakhand has been badly hit over the past week due to a wave of strikes by municipal staff and employees of state government corporations over the Sixth Pay Commission award. More disruption is on the anvil.
The government had decided to revise the pay of its two lakh employees in line with the award, but left out the 50,000 others who work in corporations and local bodies. The enraged staff say they’re determined to get the benefits, too.
Staff of the state roadways corporation went on strike last week for two days, disrupting services and the important tourism industry. After them, it was the turn of employees of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam. Besides tourism, these two corporations manage gas supply and some other key services in their region.
And now, employees of the Dehra Dun Nagar Nigam and the Mussoorie-Dehra Dun Development Authority have gone on strike. Local dailies have termed the state capital as "Garbage City", given the dustbins and uncleared trash all over. And, employees of the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd and the Jal Sansthan are threatening similar action.
Strikes and protest demonstrations are very common in the state; according to an estimate, 80 per cent of the police force is occupied through the year in controlling these.
Chief Minister B C Khanduri has dubbed the latest stir an "election strike." More so, as the main opposition party, the Congress, is supporting the striking employees. "Full support," says the party’s spokesman, Surya Kant Dhasmana.
The CM says he’s considering the issue. His government says it is already struggling to meet the new pay award for its own staff, besides the burden of the ongoing economic recession.