KARNAL, AUGUST 31 — Protesting sanitation workers of the Karnal Municipal Corporation carried out a demonstration and burnt an effigy of Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Kumar Bedi on Monday, marking the 26th consecutive day of their ongoing strike for job regularisation. Protesters marched through the city before assembling outside the Mini Secretariat to raise slogans regarding their unaddressed grievances.
Leaders representing the municipal workers expressed concern over the lack of dialogue from authorities. Karnal Municipal Corporation Sanitation Workers Association President Raj Kumar maintained that despite holding a social welfare portfolio, Minister Bedi had not met with the striking personnel to convey their matters to the administration. Association representative Sharda affirmed that workers remain on the streets awaiting governmental intervention, while Sarv Karamchari Sangh President Sushil Gurjar declared that demonstrations would persist until contractual employees receive formal assurances.
The extended work stoppage has impacted local cleanliness, resulting in waste accumulation across several municipal locations. To manage public hygiene concerns, the Karnal Municipal Corporation mobilized machinery alongside administrative personnel to clear roadside accumulation. Municipal Commissioner Saloni Sharma stated that crews successfully cleared approximately 150 tonnes of garbage on Monday. She affirmed that door-to-door collection operations remain active and appealed to local residents to avoid open dumping while municipal teams work to restore full cleanliness services.
