Muzaffargarh: Suthra Punjab contractors on Friday once again suspended sanitation operations in 21 tehsils across Punjab, protesting the non-payment of outstanding dues and the alleged dishonouring of cheques issued by the company.
Provincial President of the Contractors Association Nasrullah Tareen said all cheques issued to contractors by the company had bounced. He said the company had issued cheques worth Rs1.5 billion, but the payments could not be encashed.
‘We have not been paid Rs2.5 billion for the last six months and are facing severe financial difficulties,’ Tareen said.
He said sanitation operations had been suspended in 21 tehsils, including Muzaffargarh, and would not resume until the payment issue was resolved.
Tareen said the contractors had held several rounds of negotiations with the authorities and received repeated assurances that their dues would be cleared, but the outstanding amount remained unpaid.
Earlier, Suthra Punjab contractors had also announced a boycott over unpaid bills for garbage-collection machinery and other services. The previous stoppage led to the accumulation of garbage at various locations, while sanitation workers also complained about delayed salaries.
The contractors’ association has called for immediate payment of the outstanding dues, warning that the renewed suspension could result in further accumulation of garbage in the affected areas.