Garbage dumped by a road in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, April 26: A strike by the municipality’s cleaning staff has affected sanitation services in 14 of the city’s 29 wards that are taken care of by the civic body. The strike has been on since April 22.

“The sanitation of the city was already in a shambles. With the strike, the situation has worsened,” said local resident Binaya Patra. Garbage is now seen dumped along the road at several paces.

Another local resident, Ratikanta Sahu, said: “The dumped garbage at several places of the city has created an unhygienic atmosphere.”

However, the protesters refused to budge.

“We will continue the strike till our demands are met,” said secretary of Sambalpur Municipality Sweeper Association Prashanta Padhee.

“The government had approved the declaration of 325 casual cleaning staff of the municipality as regular employees. However, only 165 employees have been absorbed so far. Also, the employees are not getting dearness allowance and house rent. The cleaning staff here also do not have the Employee’s Provident Fund facility,” said Padhee.

“On October 18, 2012, the municipality had signed an agreement to fulfil our demands. But they are yet to be met,” he said.

This has forced around 600 cleaning staff to go on strike. The protesters have been demonstrating in front of the municipality office, affecting the civic body’s day-to-day functioning.

Executive officer of Sambalpur Municipality Rebaka Bilung, said: “We have hired cleaning staff from a private firm, which takes care of the city’s remaining 15 wards, to manage the 14 affected wards for now.”

She said the district administration had been informed about the situation.Sambalpur sub-collector Rainu Singh said: “We are verifying documents of the 160 cleaning staff, who are yet to be declared as regular employees.”