Hyderabad, Aug. 8 -- The Telangana High Court has directed the state's Home Department to pay minimum wages to 49 sweepers, scavengers and contingent workers engaged at police stations across the Rachakonda Commissionerate and the districts of Nalgonda, Suryapet and Yadadri, finding that the workers had made out a prima facie case for relief.

Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka passed the interim directions while hearing a petition filed by the workers seeking minimum wages and arrears from the date they were first appointed, and posted the matter for further hearing on August 17.

The petitioners told the court they had been working for several years at police stations, district police offices and reserve police units but were being paid only a l...