Dalit sanitation women workers protest against DRDO Bengaluru over ‘unlawful termination’
demand reinstating them
Bengaluru: Around 61 women safai karamcharis (Sanitation workers) staged a demonstration in front of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) building, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru on Monday, protesting against their sudden termination. The workers were abruptly terminated in March 2024 stating that their services were no longer needed, as reported by TheNewsMinute.com.
The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), which has been advocating on behalf of the workers, claims that the women were targeted for raising concerns about extortion and mistreatment by their contractor. According to the AICCTU, since 2019, the contractor had been illegally demanding a monthly cut of ₹3,000 to ₹4,200 from the workers' wages, claiming the funds were to be shared between the contracting agency and CABS supervisors.
Despite complaints to CABS officials, no action was allegedly taken to stop the alleged extortion. The situation came to a head in October 2023 when the workers lodged a complaint with the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), who intervened and stopped the illegal collections. However, on March 23, 2024, when the workers returned to their jobs, they were informed that their services were no longer required due to the arrival of a new contractor, Indian Security Agency.
Following the incident, The AICCTU filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Commission for Safai Karamcharis (KSCSK), which ruled in favor of the workers and ordered their reinstatement on May 9, 2024. Despite this directive and further orders from the state’s social welfare department and the Minister for Social Welfare, CABS has refused to comply, preventing the women from resuming their duties.
Meanwhile, the protesting women are now demanding immediate reinstatement of their duties and state that their termination was made in act of retaliation for challenging the extortion practices.
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Man killed in flat ceiling plaster crash, wife and son hurt
Thane (PTI): A 45-year-old man was killed, and his wife and son were injured when a portion of plaster from the ceiling collapsed in their flat in a seven-storey building in Thane on Saturday, officials said.
Chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell, Yasin Tadvi, said the 16-year-old building is not listed in the "dangerous" category.
"The incident occurred in Karumdev Society at about 3 am. The plaster of the hall in a flat on the terrace floor suddenly fell while the occupants were asleep", he said.
Of the four people who were inside the room, two suffered minor injuries and were discharged after primary treatment, Tadvi stated.
The injured persons were identified as Arpita More (42), who suffered minor head injuries, and her son Arush More (16), who sustained injuries to both legs.
Manoj More (45), who sustained chest injuries, died during treatment at a private hospital.
