EDMC to invoke ESMA against sanitation workers on strike

East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Monday initiated the process to invoke the ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) on sanitation supervisory staff, after all efforts to end the deadlock between official and workers went in vain. The move comes after repeated strikes by sanitation workers in east Delhi.

EDMC Mayor Neema Bhagat said: "We have already considered their demands. Their two months' salary has been released as demanded, but still they are adamant with some of the demands including promotion.

"There is a process to complete before promoting anyone as checking their files or others things, such as any vigilance inquiry, pending against them. Despite all the efforts, they are not ready to end the deadlock. We were left with no option except taking stringent measures," she added.

A senior EDMC official said that the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act "empowers us to terminate the services in case of negligence of duties." He also mentioned that an FIR can also be lodged according to the act.

"The move was taken after several negotiations to find a solution failed. A number of meetings were held with senior functionaries, including the Mayor. But workers were adamant with their demands, and threatened to halt essential civic services. They also prevented others from joining duty and even junior sanitation staff stopped working," he said.

He added that supervisory staff is not covered under the labour laws, hence they cannot go on strike.