Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stepped up efforts to restore sanitation services amid the ongoing strike by a section of sanitation workers, with an outsourcing agency dismissing two drivers for allegedly supporting the strike and remaining absent from duty without prior notice.
According to the civic body, the action followed warnings issued to the agency over shortages of drivers and manpower affecting door-to-door garbage collection.
Two Drivers Dismissed
PMC said Mauryan Cars Auto Services, the agency responsible for supplying drivers for door-to-door waste collection vehicles, terminated the services of two drivers with immediate effect.
The agency alleged that both employees had remained absent without informing the management and had supported the ongoing strike.
Garbage Collection Resumes In Several Areas
The municipal administration said sanitation services have begun to recover in several parts of the city following measures taken to maintain essential waste collection.
On Sunday morning, 26 door-to-door garbage collection vehicles were deployed across multiple zones to collect waste from residential and commercial areas.
According to PMC:
- Pataliputra Zone: Five vehicles operated in Wards 1, 6, 22-B and 22-C.
- Nutan Rajdhani Zone: Seven vehicles covered Wards 21 and 28.
- Bankipur Zone: Two vehicles collected waste from Bhanwar Pokhar, Birla Mandir Road and Mahboob Shah Lane in Ward 40.
- Azimabad Zone: One vehicle operated in the NMCH Road area.
- Patna City Zone: Eleven vehicles covered Wards 62, 66, 68, 71 and 72.
In the Kankarbagh Zone, however, morning operations were disrupted after a garbage collection vehicle developed a flat tyre.
Civic Body Seeks Full Restoration Of Services
PMC said the resumption of morning waste collection had reduced pressure on the special night-time sanitation drives launched during the strike.
The corporation said it would continue deploying additional manpower and resources to restore normal sanitation services across the city in the coming days.
Appeal To Sanitation Workers
Reiterating the importance of sanitation workers in maintaining public health and urban cleanliness, the municipal administration appealed to those participating in the strike to return to work.
PMC said it remained committed to resolving workers’ grievances through dialogue while ensuring uninterrupted sanitation services for residents.
