Civic workers continue strike despite arrests

Amid police crackdown on safai karmacharis for dumping garbage in various parts of the Capital, the strike called by them entered the sixth day on Wednesday even as the MCD officials maintained that they have disbursed the salaries to the employees.

The sanitation workers on the other hand claimed that their demands, including release of arrears, regularisation of contractual workers, and issuance of medical cards were not met with. A Delhi court on Wednesday directed authorities to stop sanitation workers from throwing garbage hither-thither. With the crisis deepening, the city has recorded dumping of over 30,000 metric tonne garbage.

On Wednesday, the safai karamcharis of the North MCD created logjam in Rohini area. They also blocked the border regions by dumping garbage on the middle of the roads. Following the protest, traffic snarls appeared on the roads joining Delhi to Haryana. Amid protests across the city, several other unions from various zones extended their support by refusing to clean roads and collect waste from houses.

The officials admitted that the staff of at least four zones, to show their solidarity with the 27 unions on strike, joined the stir on Wednesday. 

The officials said that they have been trying to calm down the agitated workers and are worried about their earlier announcement of a dharna in front of the LG House scheduled on November 6. The sanitation workers have given an ultimatum to the Corporations asking to accept their long-pending demands before this period.

Keeping public interest in mind, the National Green Tribunal and a Delhi court on Wednesday asked the civic bodies to remove the solid waste within two days and directed the Delhi government to extend its support to them.

 

Following the order, police also came down heavily on the workers who were seen throwing garbage. As many as 13 workers were reportedly arrested from Karol Bagh area for allegedly dumping garbage on the roads.