Even as scores of municipal sanitation workers on Wednesday staged protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to demand “immediate” release of funds for payment of their salaries and arrears, and threatened to strike work, the Delhi Government and the three municipal corporations engaged in verbal duel over funds.
Even top officials, including commissioners, of the three civic bodies have not been paid for three months. Sources said the corporations don’t have fund to maintain schools and hospitals. “It has been three months, workers have not received their salaries. Despite repeated requests, our demands have gone unheard,” said Mazdoor Vikas Samyukta Morcha president Sanjay Gehlot.
However, the Delhi Government on Wednesday claimed that it has already released funds to the municipal corporations for the payment of salaries.
Reacting to the strike called by municipal employees over the non-payment of salaries, the Government spokesperson said, “NDMC has received Rs892.92 crore, East Rs465 crore, and South Rs668 crore from the Delhi Government this financial year for payment of employees’ salaries. Commissioners of all three MCDs confirmed in presence of Delhi Government officials on January 15 that they have received the entire amount meant for salaries. The three MCDs owe Rs5,908 crore to Delhi Government. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has already announced a moratorium on this loan.”
However, the three Mayors asserted the Government is revealing only half truth and sitting on Rs3,800 crore due to the corporations that include Rs3,001 crore of third finance commission and Rs 800 crore from municipal reform funds.
The mayors claimed that under DMC Act, there are provisions of releasing shares on time but the Dovernment, in order to defame civic agencies, has stopped realising money which has led severe fund-crunch these days. “The Government is misleading people by revealing false data. One side the Corporations are reeling severely while the government is busy in politics overs the issue,” said Ravinder Gupta, Mayor of NMC.
The civic bodies claim that the insufficient fund released by the Government has already dried up, and there is no money to pay for salaries. While 1.3 lakh employees, including about 60,000 sanitation workers, of three municipal corporations, went on strike on Wednesday over non-payment of salaries and other dues, the three civic bodies have brushed aside the claims of Delhi Government. The three Commissioners of the civic bodies have also written to Principal Secretary (Finance) SN Sahai, seeking funds for day-to-day functioning of the corporations.
The three Mayors claimed that a major part of the funds has not been paid yet. As a result they have not been able to pay salaries and dues. The strike, which was called by all unions of MCD employees, including sanitation staff, engineer, teacher, health, etc, witnessed massive protests at CM’s residence, Jantar Mantar and other parts of the city.
To mark their protest, the sanitation workers dumped heaps of garbage on various roads/ streets of the city. Following the crisis, the Delhi High Court issued notices to the City Government, the Central Government and civic bodies. The Delhi High Court also directed the police to make sure that the safai karamcharis do not face any trouble on the job.
Accusing BJP of doing “dirty politics” over the issue, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra claimed there is a “conspiracy” to make Delhiites reside in the middle of garbage.
“The Corporations are holding unspent balance of about Rs 300 crore under education and health sector. Therefore, the Delhi Government has fulfilled its obligation as regard to release of both plan and non-plan funds. There has been corruption of crores of rupees in the municipal corporations. That is why they are not able to even release the salaries of their staff despite receiving all their dues from the Government and taxes from people,” Mishra said.
Taking stock of the situation, the Delhi High Court issued notices to Centre and the Delhi governments, and all three civic bodies here on a petition seeking release of salaries of municipal workers. The order came after the workers decided to go on a three-day strike over non-payment of dues. The high court has directed Delhi Police to ensure that sanitation workers do not face any difficulty in their job. The court sought the response of the Delhi government, North MCD, SDMC, EDMC and DDA by the next date of hearing on February 2.