Punjab Newsline | Ludhiana/Patiala
Punjab Local Bodies Minister Harjot Bains visited Ludhiana to review the ongoing Clean Punjab Mission, inspecting sanitation arrangements across several parts of the city. During the visit, he encouraged sanitation workers to help keep Ludhiana clean, but workers raised concerns over pending salaries, saying they had not been paid for the last two months.
In the presence of Dalit Development Board Chairman Vijay Danav, sanitation workers urged the minister to ensure timely payment of wages, stating that nearly 1,000 municipal sanitation employees in Ludhiana have been waiting for salaries for two to three months.
The workers said delayed payments have disrupted their family lives and financial stability. They also pointed out that despite cleaning the streets, residents often dump garbage again soon after, making it difficult to maintain cleanliness.
Taking note of the complaints, Minister Harjot Bains questioned officials on the spot about the reasons behind the salary delays. He said employees cannot be expected to perform their duties effectively if they are not paid on time and directed officials to upgrade the payment system and ensure timely disbursement of wages.
The minister began his inspection early in the morning, visiting areas including BRS Nagar, Model Town, Model Town Extension, Samrala Chowk, Rishi Nagar, Chaura Bazaar, and Ghanta Ghar before holding a meeting with the Mayor at the Municipal Corporation Zone-A headquarters.
Apart from Ludhiana, Harjot Bains also visited Patiala, where he interacted with sanitation workers, listened to their grievances, and issued necessary directions to address their concerns.
