Kolkata, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A section of temporary health workers of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Monday protested around the car of West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul, demanding an increase in their salaries.
Paul had joined an anti-dengue awareness campaign in the Chitpur area of north Kolkata in the morning. While she was leaving the programme, the temporary health workers gathered around her car and raised their demand for a salary hike.
The minister assured the workers that their demands would be examined and said any decision would have to take into account the financial condition of the state.
“They get only Rs 303 per day. We will try to increase the salary. No one’s salary has been stopped. No one’s salary will be stopped during this new government’s tenure. Rather, it will increase,” Paul said.
She added that the government would have to assess the state’s financial position before taking a decision.
“We will have to take a decision after seeing the state’s treasury. The previous government has incurred debts. We are giving women Rs 3,000 per month. There are also many projects currently underway. We will also have to look at the state’s treasury before taking a decision in this regard,” she said.
During the anti-dengue campaign, Paul also urged residents to prevent water from accumulating near homes and on roadsides, warning that stagnant water provides breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes.
She pointed out that water can also accumulate in construction materials such as iron, nails and other items left unattended for extended periods.
Paul said action would be taken if construction materials were left on roadsides or other public places. She warned that, apart from fines, such materials could also be confiscated if necessary.
The minister stressed that public awareness and active cooperation from residents, along with administrative efforts, were essential to controlling dengue.
According to Paul, Kolkata recorded 585 dengue cases last year, while 539 cases have been reported so far this year. She said the administration’s objective was to bring the number down to zero.
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