Sanitation workers still on strike, demand 3-month-wages

Contrary to the claims of the East MCD that sanitation workers have started working after the release of their salaries, piled up garbage along the areas where it was dumped by them in protest on Friday, has yet not been removed. Even three days later, heaps of garbage were found scattered in Ghazipur, Trilokpuri, Laxmi Nagar, Gokalpur, Shahdra, Bhajanpura, Ghabdhi Nagar, and other localities. The garbage has caused health related problems apart from traffic snarls in these areas.

The commissioner of East MCD Amit Yadav, had informed that the Corporation has put together the toll and property taxes collection and diverted those funds towards employee salaries. Office-bearers have also appealed to the employees to end the strike and return to work. To end the deadlock, the commissioner, after releasing the salaries for the month of February of Safai Karamcharies had appealed them to resume their duties and with the help of some of them, the EDMC was also able to clean all its dhalaos in the night by lifting garbage.

The commissioner hoped that the remaining safai karamcharies would also resume their duties from Monday morning and help in streamlining the sanitation services.

The sanitation workers, however, said that they will not end protest till they get their salaries for three months. “We want three-month wages. We are hungry, we don’t have anything to feed our children with, which is why we are here on the streets protesting,” said one of the workers.