Another garbage strike hits city

With disgruntled sanitation workers going on strike demanding due payment of their salaries and arrears, it seems Delhi is preparing for another round of politics over garbage. Amid garbage pile-ups in various nooks, the city has tuned into a dump-yard. The sanitation workers, who have refused to relent, have been claiming to intensify their ongoing protest by dumping garbage at key places in the Capital.

About four weeks ago, sanitation workers of all 12 zones under the banner of, United Front of MCD staff, stopped collecting garbage from their respective areas and cleaning streets demanding immediate release of their salaries along with fulfilment of other promises. The workers claim their salaries have not been paid since August and there is uncertainty over other demands too.

There are nearly 70,000 safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) who have been demanding timely payment of due salaries, release of arrears, regularisation of contractual workers, and issuance of medical cards. Due to this, the sanitation workers are battling grave financial crisis. A sanitation worker, who had not been paid arrears since February 2014, committed suicide in South Delhi two months back.

“We were not given a single penny after the Chief Minister said money to the MCDs would be transferred. We have been protesting for the last 100 days as safai karamcharis were not given their due salaries. The Commissioners have also given up and said they do not have money to pay the dues. Now, we have called out a strike and it will continue till our demands are met,” said Rajender Mewati, president of Safai Karamchari Union.

Ravinder Gupta, Mayor of North Corporation, said that instead of creating confusion in the minds of the people by spending Rs 536 crores on advertisements and misleading them, some constructive work should take place.” 

Harsh Malhotra, Mayor of East MCD, said as per DMC Act 484 (1) sub section (iv) the government shall appoint a Director of Local Bodies to assist the government and discharge functions including: to resolve the functional and administrative anomalies or difficulties arising, if any, after constitution of the three corporations in consultation with the Commissioner(s) thereof.