K. Ramakrishnaiah, 58, who had come all the way from Dobbspet to the BBMP west zone office to make a correction in the khata document of a property, had to return empty-handed as the BBMP zonal office was shut. P. Sandesh, a resident of Indiranagar had come to the BBMP east zone office to apply for the death certificate of his grandfather. He said for the last two days he has been running around to get the death certificate, which is needed to transfer the property to his father's name. Scores of citizens have been put to huge inconvenience by a strike called by the BBMP Employees' Association. All the eight zonal offices, citizen service centres, tax paying centres and contact points were deserted on the second day of the strike as 11,000 employees stayed away.
The employees gathered in front of the BBMP head office demanding that the cases filed against BBMP engineers, health officers, revenue officials and others must be withdrawn. The BMTF has registered cases against officials and is framing chargesheets. Heaps of garbage piled up on city roads as the contractors and pourakarmikas too are supporting the strike.
Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy and BBMP commissioner M. K. Shankarlinge Gowda have appealed to private contractors and pourakarmikas not to support the protestors. Their contracts would be cancelled if they did not clear the garbage, they said. “We’ve appealed to association office-bearers to call off the strike and give us a week's time to resolve the issue. The request has been moved to the government and it will do the needful,” Mr Murthy said.
The powers given to the BMTF should be withdrawn for the peaceful functioning of the employees. Criminal cases against the officials should not have been filed. Though the BMTF had powers since 2006 it is being enforced now, he added.