Mumbai: The strike by employees of the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), members of the
Municipal Mazdoor Union headed by Sharad Rao, entered second
day on Tuesday, amid criticism that they were holding Mumbaikars
to ransom.
The absence of nurses and ward boys at municipal
hospitals owing to the strike has caused hardship for
patients.
Industries minister Narayan Rane, speaking to
reporters here, said Rao was holding Mumbai to ransom with the
unwarranted strike.
Talks between Rao, who belongs to NCP and Deputy CM
Ajit Pawar today were inconclusive.
The strike will continue if demands for a hike in
wages are not met by the civic administration, Rao said. He
alleged that the civic administration had failed to revise the
employees' wages despite an assurance given on August 27.
He said employees had lost faith in Municipal
Commissioner Subodh Kumar and will have further negotiations
only in the presence of Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena executive
president Uddhav Thackeray.
The strike has affected essential services such as
water supply, health, Fire Brigade and conservancy.
The authorities have decided to press state home
guards, civil defence labourers and NGO workers into action in
view of the strike so that essential services like water
supply are not affected.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 08:58