Sanitation workers in Ropar district continued their strike for the fifth consecutive day on Jattvibeday, leading to piles of garbage accumulating across towns, including Nangal, Ropar and Anandpur Sahib.With door-to-door waste collection and lifting of solid waste severely affected, residents in many areas have started complaining of foul smells and deteriorating sanitary conditions.The strike has disrupted the routine functioning of municipal councils and sanitation services across the district. Garbage heaps were visible near markets, residential colonies and roadside dumping points as municipal workers stayed away from duty in support of their demands.This is the second major agitation by sanitation workers in the district in recent times. Last year, too, sanitation workers had remained on strike for nearly 10 days, leaving towns across the district struggling with overflowing garbage and unhygienic surroundings.In many places, the waste collected during the previous strike was still lying unattended along roadsides and vacant plots, reflecting the poor solid waste management system in urban areas.The protesting workers are demanding regularisation of their services and enhancement of wages. A large number of sanitation workers employed in municipal councils are working through private contractors.The workers alleged that the contractor-based system was exploitative and deprived them of fair wages, job security and social benefits available to regular government employees.The workers claimed that despite performing essential civic duties, they were being paid low wages and forced to work without adequate facilities. They said repeated assurances regarding the regularisation of services had not been fulfilled, forcing them to resort to agitation once again.The strike has also started acquiring political overtones ahead of the local body elections in Punjab. The sanitation workers’ agitation has provided opposition parties an opportunity to corner the ruling government over civic issues and contractual employment practices.Punjab state BJP Vice President Subhash Sharma extended support to the protesting workers and sat on a dharna with them while demanding regularisation of their services. BJP leaders accused the state government of ignoring the concerns of sanitation workers despite depending heavily on contractual employees in civic bodies.The Congress too has extended support to the agitation and criticised the government over the worsening sanitation conditions in towns. Opposition leaders alleged that the government had failed to address the grievances of sanitation workers despite repeated protests in the past.Political observers believe the strike could become a challenge for the ruling party ahead of the upcoming municipal elections. Civic amenities and cleanliness remain key urban issues during local body polls, and the sight of garbage piling up in towns may adversely affect the government’s image among urban voters.Residents in several towns expressed concern over the deteriorating sanitary conditions and urged the administration to resolve the deadlock at the earliest. Shopkeepers and residents said continued accumulation of waste could pose health risks if the strike were prolonged further, especially during the summer season.Sources said no breakthrough had been achieved so far between the protesting workers and the authorities.With opposition parties openly backing the agitation and sanitation services remaining paralysed, pressure is mounting on the government to find an early solution before the issue escalates further ahead of the civic polls.