Chandigarh, May 18 (PTI) In the wake of an indefinite strike by sanitation workers in Haryana, Chief Secretary D S Dhesi today directed district officials to ensure cleanliness in cities by working in close coordination with one another.

He issued the directions while presiding over a meeting with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and commissioners of municipal corporations, through video-conferencing, an official release said.

Such arrangements should be made that there is no pile of waste left, thus preventing outbreak of any disease, it said.

Appreciating the role played by NGOs, the chief secretary said these self-help groups had given out a great message by helping the administration in cleaning the cities.

Night sweeping should be continued and assistance of the police be sought as and when required, Dhesi said, while asking the officers not to leave their headquarters.

"Special attention should be paid to maintaining law and order, and safety of VIPs should be ensured. The situation related to cleanliness in the state is fairly under control," he said.

The chief secretary added that the state government has accepted the demands of the striking safai karamcharis.

The municipal workers, mainly safai karamcharis, have been on strike since May 9, demanding regularisation of contractual employees and increase in monthly salary among other demands.

Their talks with the government on two occasions had failed to yield positive result.

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