BMC sanitation workers stage protest after assault on OAS officer, services disrupted in Bhubaneswar

Protests broke out across various Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) wards on Tuesday following an attack on OAS officer and Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo inside the BMC office. The incident sparked outrage among the city’s sanitation workers, prompting them to stage peaceful protests and halt services in several areas.

In Ward No. 44, the sanitation workers stopped all operations and refused to sweep roads as a mark of protest. Similar scenes were witnessed across almost all wards in Bhubaneswar, where workers gathered and staged dharnas. No garbage was allegedly picked up in any ward throughout the day, causing noticeable disruption in civic services.

“If such a high-ranking official can be assaulted inside the BMC office in front of everyone, then who are we?” said a sanitation worker. “We do not feel safe at all, we could be beaten up any time. There’s no assurance of our safety. We will continue our protest and refuse to work until all those involved are arrested and justice is done.”

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Another worker voiced similar concerns and said, “We have stopped garbage collection in protest against the assault on our BMC commissioner. If such things can happen to an officer, what’s stopping them from attacking our corporator or supervisor next? Then they will think it’s okay to target us too. We won’t resume work until justice is delivered.”

The protests have so far remained peaceful, but the sanitation workers made it clear they will not return to duty until their demands for justice are met.