Unpaid MCD employees, retirees faced max pinch of pandemic: HC expects arrears to be cleared by Diwali

new delhi: Unpaid MCD employees and retired staff have faced the real and maximum pinch during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi High Court Thursday noted, asking the civic bodies to make an attempt to release their arrears as Diwali is around the corner.

The high court lamented the sad situation where pensioners have not been paid pensions by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) after April and it was not acceptable that the retired staff are completely left high and dry as others are at least paid something.

"At the end of the day, the real pinch is being faced by the employees and their family members who have limited resources available to them and have stretched it to the maximum over the entire period of pandemic with hardly any nest egg left to tide over, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said.

The bench was hearing various petitions relating to non-payment of salaries of employees and pensioners of different cadres by the three municipal corporations of Delhi - North, East and South.

The list of petitioners includes doctors, nurses, paramedic staff, safai karamcharis, teachers, class-IV employees and retired staff like teachers and engineers.

Don't forget this is a festive season and besides their basic needs, wages are everybody's right and where will they go to fulfill the basic needs of their families, it said, adding that there are old and ailing persons who need to get medical treatment that cannot wait.

During the hearing, the common grievance raised by the three MCDs was against the Delhi government which has allegedly squeezed the funds and not released the full amount due to the corporations, leading to non-payment of salaries. This was disputed by the Delhi government and the Central government disputed the Delhi government's submission that the Centre owed it Rs 10,000 crore.

Regarding the retired employees, the court was informed that NrDMC, EDMC and SDMC had released pensions till April, August and September respectively. The high court directed the three MCDs and Delhi government to file status reports regarding the release of funds or salaries and pensions and listed the matter for further hearing on December 16.