Scores of municipal sanitation workers on Thursday staged a protest outside Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s official residence here, demanding “immediate” release of funds for their salaries.
They also threatened to suspend work for an “indefinite” period if their demands are not met. “It has been two-three months that the workers have not received their salaries. Despite repeated requests, our demands have gone unheard. Hence, we have staged a protest here. We will call off work for an indefinite period if our demands are not met,” Sanjay Gehlot, president of Mazdoor Vikas Samyukta Morcha, said.
Mr Gehlot claimed that employees from all the three civic bodies have taken part in the strike. Besides salaries, the employees are seeking payment of arrears, regularisation of contract-based employees and unification of the three corporations. Workers attached to East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) had gone on strike making similar demands in October last year. But the strike was called off in the wake of a high court order.
On Wednesday, the workers staged a protest outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to demand an “immediate” release of funds for payment of their salaries and arrears, threatening to go on an “indefinite” strike if their demands were not met. “Around 20 unions have joined us over the demands,” Rajendra Mewati, general secretary of the front, said.
As sanitation workers struck work over non-payment of salaries, the Delhi high court had asked the Centre to ensure that civic agencies keep the national capital clean as per the Swachchh Bharat policy and directed the police to ensure there was no hindrance in garbage removal by the municipalities.
Highlighting the Swachchh Bharat cess the bench asked the Centre to ensure the agencies were put to work immediately. The bench made the request noting that despite its orders to civic agencies to maintain three areas in Delhi as models of cleanliness, the areas “have showcased inefficiency” of the various authorities, including MCDs, public works department (PWD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Areas across east Delhi on Thursday bore the brunt of sanitation workers’ strike as tonnes of uncollected raw waste and clogged drains hurtled it towards a civic mess, even as protesters dumped garbage in front of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s office.
The striking employees, demanding regular salaries and payment of arrears among others, also struck work at the headquarters of SDMC and NDMC at the Civic Centre here. The leaders of the striking workers claimed that no staff was on duty although East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) authorities disputed it claiming that around 60 per cent of them were discharging their duty and collecting garbage.
