Ludhiana, Sept. 15 -- Government school heads across the district are facing a serious sanitation crisis as salaries of sweepers have remained unpaid for months, leaving workers struggling to support their families. In some schools, teachers and principals have been forced to pay sweepers from their own pockets or use Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds to maintain basic hygiene.

Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon, head teacher at Government Primary School, Moti Nagar, said workers had not received salaries for months and regularly approached school authorities for answers. "They reach out to us daily asking about their salary and we have no answer," he said.

Sanitation workers are paid only Rs.3,000 a month, making the prolonged delay particular...