HC raps Delhi govt, orders to pay dues of MCD workers

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday slammed the Delhi government over the non-payment of the dues of MCD workers. "Don't bring such cases to us in courts. There must be somebody with whom you are not at war. Be it the Union of India, MCDs or NDMC. If you have the public interest in mind, then you will ensure that the MCDs do their job properly," the bench said. In response, the counsel of the government said that the AAP-led government is serious about the issue.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also directed the striking sanitation employees not to obstruct cleaning of garbage as they caused serious diseases like dengue. "Safai karamchari shall ensure that they seriously carry out the assigned duties of MCDs and no obstruction shall be caused," the bench said.

The bench was hearing a plea seeking a direction to the authorities to ensure that the workers of East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations call off their strike, which started on October 11 and October 16 respectively and resume work. The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 25.

During the hearing, Central Government's standing counsel Monika Arora said that there were some safai karamcharis who were creating problems and refusing to discharge their duties and also stopping others from doing work. She said due to this, garbage was accumulating on roads having an adverse impact on the health of the residents. The court had earlier on October 13 asked the AAP government to release within three days the arrears of sanitation workers of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), who are on an indefinite strike since October 11. The court had said that the authorities should release the arrears in three days after it was told that in spite of assurances given by the government, their outstanding payment has not been made since 2003.

The court was hearing a plea by one Rahul Birla, who had sought a direction to the government and the EDMC to make immediate payment of the arrears. Advocate Niraj Gupta, appearing for the petitioner, had urged the court to direct the EDMC to issue medical cashless cards to its sanitation workers. The plea has also sought direction to the authorities to immediately implement the recommendations of the 4th Finance Commission.