The Bombay High Court on Monday stayed the three-day protest called by two engineers’ bodies over a list of demands.
The joint action committee of Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union and Sharad Rao-led Municipal Engineers’ Association had announced to stage protests beginning on Tuesday.
Sensing the demonstration would affect water supply, solid waste management and other civic services with over 1,000 engineers planning to strike work, the BMC sought intervention of the high court.
Till the time of going to press, the engineers said they had not received any order from court and so, plan to go ahead with the strike.
“The strike is uncalled for. It will affect administrative works and essential services of 1.25 crore Mumbaikars. So, we approached the high court. Now, if any staffer participates in the protest, we will consider it as contempt of court which would invite punishment up to imprisonment,” said additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani.
Representatives of engineers’ bodies said they were firm on going ahead with the protest. “We were unaware of the BMC move as they did not issue any notice intimating us in this regard.
Besides, we have not received HC’s stay order. Hence, we are not changing our plan,” said Sainath Rajadhyaksha, general secretary of Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union.
The engineers had on December 12 staged a day-long protest demanding withdrawal of suspension of engineers in connection with Dockyard building collapse, which killed 61 persons on September 27. They also demanded the BMC to put pressure on the state government to frame norms against assaults on engineers. A delegation of protesters had held parleys with mayor Sunil Prabhu and civic chief Sitaram Kunte over their demands. “We have called the protests since the BMC has not paid heed to the main demand of revoking the suspension of our colleagues in connection with the building collapse,” said Rajadhyaksha.
Past protest
The engineers had on December 12 staged a protest demanding withdrawal of suspension of engineers in connection with Dockyard building collapse, which killed 61 persons on September 27
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}