Safai workers stage protest, traffic comes to a crawl on eway for 3 hours

Noida: Hundreds of sanitation workers staged a protest near Dalit Prerna Sthal and on Monday demanding regularisation of their jobs under the three industrial authorities in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna.
Under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Safai Majdoor Congress (ABSMC), the protesters gathered at Dalit Prerna Sthal at 10 am, which affected traffic movement on the Noida Expressway.
A traffic police team reached the spot and requested the workers to shift the agitation to Noida Authority's office Sector 6 around 1 pm and cleared the road.
The agitators claim around 30,000 sanitation staff are hired on contract across the three authorities, which denies them of various benefits.
Nitin Kumar, vice-president of ABSMC, said sanitation workers are hired for collecting door-to-door garbage, mechanical sweeping and cleaning schools and villages, but receive varying wages between Rs 15,000 and Rs 21,000 while labour contractors take a large commission. Regularisation of service would get them access to other benefits like pension, gratuity and health insurance.
Sudheer Kumar, a sanitation worker, claimed in case of death on duty, their kin do not receive suitable compensation. Kumar was among the nearly 500 workers who stayed away from work on Monday.
KK Jain, general secretary of the Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations (FONRWA), said as workers stayed away from work, garbage was not picked up at several sectors on Monday.
An official from Noida Authority, meanwhile, said talks were on with the sanitation workers to end the strike.