JNU students allege deterioration in cleanliness as contractual staff continue strike over bonus, paid leaves
The university administration denied any disruption to campus operations, stating that discussions are underway with the workers to address their grievances.
Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi have complained about a decline in campus cleanliness due to ongoing strikes by contractual workers, which entered their eighth day on Tuesday. The university administration, however, denied any disruption to operations and stated that talks are underway to address the workers' grievances.
On November 2, approximately 650 sanitation workers went on strike, including 250 cleaning hostels and the remaining maintaining cleanliness in other areas such as academic buildings, eateries, and internal roads. Their key demands include a Diwali bonus, increased workforce, paid leave, and the establishment of a grievance redressal cell.
A PhD scholar who lives in JNU's Satluj Hostel, Ranvijay, reported that washrooms, typically cleaned daily, are now only cleaned every three to four days. He noted that with only eight contractual staff and two permanent staff working, the workload is overwhelming. The dustbins are not being emptied, and garbage has accumulated in hostels and school buildings.
On the first day of the strike, when mess workers joined the protest, the hostel mess served only Dal Chawal. Later, the mess workers returned to work, but the sanitation workers have continued their agitation.
Pravin K Piyush, a resident of Mahi Mandavi Hostel, echoed similar concerns. He mentioned that the hostel has 22 staff members, with 14 being contractual and 8 permanent. Despite the permanent staff also working in shifts, the situation remains dire. The demands of the workers are genuine, and the administration should resolve the issue promptly, according to Piyush.
Sanjeev Vaid, a 37-year-old sanitation worker at JNU for two decades, pointed out the significant salary disparity between contractual and permanent workers. While permanent staff earn between ₹60,000 and ₹70,000, contractual workers receive around ₹21,000 monthly. Vaid also mentioned that on top of the lower salary, there's only one bonus paid annually, during Diwali, and no bonus for festivals.
Gargi Shukla, a correspondent with Hindustan Times, has been reporting on JNU and related educational issues in Delhi.
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