The Delhi high court on Wednesday directed the three municipal corporations to ensure that all their employees are paid their salaries for the month of February by March 21.
A bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath issued the direction after counsel appearing for the various employees, including safai karamchaaris, of the corporations told the court that they have not been paid salaries for the month of February. The counsel for the corporations sought time to seek instructions on whether the employees have been paid.
Displeased with lack of information from the corporations, the bench said it “does not want to hear the instructions.”
“What were you (the corporations) doing The matter was listed for today and now you are saying you will seek instructions. Everyone is aware about it (non-payment of salary). There are newspaper reports. We want that salaries are paid. We do not want to hear your instructions. We are not concerned with it. We just want salaries are paid by March 21. Just ensure salaries for the month of February are paid without fail by Monday,” the bench said and listed the matter for hearing on that date.
The court is hearing three pleas filed by three different individuals. A PIL by Birender Sangwan has sought lifting of garbage littered on streets due to safai karamchaaris’ strike and that the stir be called off as it was causing hardship to public. The karamchaaris had called of their strike after their salaries till the month of January were paid.
Another petition filed by D.P. Chandel, president of Indian National Trade Union Congress, has sought directions to the Delhi government and East Delhi Municipal Corporation to release arrears as per the Sixth Pay Commission to the employees of the civic body. The plea, by Rakesh Vaid, its general secretary, also sought release of salaries in the first week of each month.
In January, another petitioner, Rahul Birla, moved the court when the safai karamchaaris decided to go on strike, claiming that the authorities were not paying salaries and arrears since 2003 to the MCD workers.
He had said the workers of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation had gone on strike in 2015 too, which had led to “accumulation of garbage for number of days at different places”.
