While the corporations are claiming they have disbursed salaries till December and January, employees union said they would not end their ongoing strike as only safai karamcharis have received salaries of December while all other departments are still awaiting it.
“The corporations have been misleading the agitating employees that they have disbursed salaries up to January but the reality is only sanitation staff have received salaries of December while other departments’ staff are still waiting. Disbursement of January’s salary is totally false,” said Rajesh Mishra, president of United Front of municipal corporation staff.
The unions further maintained despite an announcement of a loan of `551 crore for salary payment, unions will continue their strike as they want permanent solution of the crisis. The union leaders maintained one time loan will not bring relief to ailing agencies as they are in huge burden.
“The Government’s package is not a permanent solution of our problem as it will not help cash-strapped bodies. To avoid such crisis in future, we want proper solution,” said Rajendra Mewati, president of Delhi Pradesh Safai Mazdoor Congress.
On Friday, massive protests were held with garbage being dumped on several sites and road was blocked across the city. The employees protested at NH-24, Ghazipur, Civil lines, Shadipur depot, Karol Bagh and Nizzamuddin area. Most parts of East Delhi has been the worst hit as protestors not just dumped garbage on roads but also blocked traffic. Protests were also witnessed outside offices of the three municipal corporations, including zonal offices. Early morning, hundreds of sanitation workers staged protest at various locations and burnt effigies of senior leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, East Delhi Mayor Harsh Malhotra. Roads of laxminagar, Pandav Nagar, Geeta Colony, Shahdra, Durgapuri,etc also witnessed dumping of garbage during morning hours.
The agitating sanitation workers targeted house of Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra in Yamuna Vihar. The protesters gathered in front of the house in large number and shouted slogans against him before littering garbage. “As we have decided to intensify our stir, we have been gathering at residences of prominent leaders and are garbage. As the agencies have been failed to pay salaries and other dues, we have no option than following this way. We will keep agitating till our due salaries were not released,” said Sanjay Gehlot, president of Swatantra Majdoor Vikas Sanyukta Morcha.