Employees demonstrate on the Mada office premises in Dhanbad on Monday. Picture by Gautam Dey

The recent strike by water division employees of Mineral Area Development Authority (Mada) has left the civic body divided.

The rift was much in evidence on Monday during a protest by a section of employees who not only demonstrated but also locked the main gate of the Mada office on Luby Circular Road.

The agitators comprising employees deputed at the Mada headquarters, health division, sanitation division, land holding collection division, licence division and building map division were protesting against the alleged step-motherly treatment meted out to them.

“The Mada administration is giving privileged status to water division employees and sweepers,” charged Rampravesh Sharma, acting president of Pradhikar Karmchari Samanvya Samiti.

He added that during talks between water division employees and the Mada administration on June 16, the administration agreed to provide two months’ arrears to water division employees and salary of one month to sweepers in June itself, while other employees would get a month’s arrears in July.

Convener of Pradhikar Karmchari Samanvya Samiti Devendra Nath Dubey said the attitude of the Mada administration would encourage regular pressure tactics by a section of employees.

Around 400 employees are at present working in Mada’s water division at Jamadoba, Jharia, Karkend, Topchanchi, Putki and Muklai, while 300 sweepers are working across the district. The remaining 1,100 employees are posted at its headquarters in Dhanbad, sanitation, health, land holding, licence and building map departments.

“This is the third time that the water division employees have used pressure tactics. Consequently they have arrears pending for only 12 months only while our backlog is of 17 months,” said employee Rameshwar Prasad.

Water division employee Bisheshwar Mahto however, denied the allegations.

“The headquarters-based employees are getting more than us though our work is more risky. We need better treatment,” he said.