SHILLONG: The member of the National Commission for Safai Karamchari (Sweepers), Jagadish Hiremani on Friday asked Meghalaya Government to ensure that the salary of the sweepers is paid every month even if payment of the salary of big officers is delayed.
Jagadish Hiremani who was in Shillong, held a meeting with different line department to know the condition of the sweepers working in the city.
Speaking to media persons, Hiremani lamented that the contractual sweepers in under the Shillong Municipal Board were getting a meagre salary of Rs 3000 and that too was not paid every month.
“It is not right to see that Safai Karamcharis are not getting their salary on time,” he said.
Jagadish Hiremani pointed out that the minimum wage for the sweepers should be Rs 10500 and he would recommend to Meghalaya Government to implement minimum wage for them.
During the meeting, it was informed that Shillong Municipal Board which looks after the cleanliness of the municipal areas of the town, have 400 sweepers out of which 98 are permanent staff
He said the Meghalaya Government must provide proper health check-up facility to sweepers in every three months besides good education to the dependents and good housing to every sweeper.
While urging the Meghalaya Government to provide housing to every sweeper, be it permanent or casual, he also asked the officials to make a list of sweepers for them to take benefits out of different Central Government schemes.
He also said that he would recommend to the Meghalaya Government to ensure that there was 5 per cent reservation for the wards of Safai Karamcharis in every private school of the state.
The meeting was also attended by the officials of Shillong Municipal Board, Shillong Cantonment Board, Urban Affairs department, Police department and traditional institutions.
