Malingaraya Pujar
CH NEWS
While festivals bring celebrations across the state, 133 women sanitation workers in Gadag-Betageri are spending their days protesting for better wages.
The workers, who collect household waste and help keep the twin cities clean, have launched an indefinite protest at Mahatma Gandhi Circle. They are demanding payment of the government-fixed minimum wage and say their long service has not been properly recognised.
The women have worked for nearly 18 years, beginning in 2005-06 by collecting garbage without a fixed salary. At that time, they received only a contribution of ₹15 from each household. In 2014, the Municipal Council fixed their monthly honorarium at ₹3,000. After further demands, it was increased to ₹5,000 in 2017. Since 2022, the workers have been receiving only ₹6,500 a month, despite rising living costs.
The workers say the present payment is not enough to support a family. They point to a difference in treatment within the municipal system. Loaders, drivers and 29 recently appointed mobilizers are reportedly receiving government-prescribed minimum wages, while the women sanitation workers continue to be paid an honorarium. The protesters question why workers who have served the city for years should receive less than newly appointed staff.
Worker leaders said they begin their duties around 5 a.m. and continue working despite difficult conditions. They said municipal budgets have grown over the years, but their income has remained far behind their needs. The protesters have warned that they will continue their sit-in until their demand for minimum wages is addressed. Gadag-Betageri Municipal Council member Krishna Parapura also urged the government to act quickly and fulfil the workers’ demands.
The protest has highlighted wider questions about women’s welfare, labour rights and fair treatment. The workers have appealed to the district administration and municipal authorities to meet them, examine their demands and find a solution without delay. Their struggle is not only about ₹6,500, but also about dignity, recognition and equal treatment. The protesters say they will not leave until justice is delivered, making their demand a significant test of the administration’s commitment to sanitation workers.
