Even as a section of teachers and engineers union called off strike on Saturday, a large number of sanitation workers of municipal corporations continue their strike on the 11th day and sought a “permanent solution” to their grievances from the High Court.
“We have not received salary as yet. Most of the departments are on strike and will continue to be so till our demands are met. Now we will approach this issue in the High Court on Monday and keep forth our demands. We will say that our salaries have not been disbursed for the past many months and we need a permanent solution to this problem. By simply accepting loans, the MCD is not coming out with a solution, it is only escalating the problem as the similar salary issue might resurface after three months,” said Rajender Mewati, general secretary of United Front of MCD Employees’ Association.
The Delhi High Court, while hearing a PIl for calling off the strike on Friday, had sought responses of the corporations and the sanitation workers unions in the matter.
Meanwhile, employees protested at NH-24, Ghazipur, Civil lines, Shadipur depot, Karol Bagh and Nizzamuddin. Most parts of East Delhi have been the worst hit as protesters not just dumped garbage on roads but also blocked traffic. Protests were also witnessed outside offices of the three Municipal Corporations, including zonal offices. Due to non-payment of projects for past three year, all the contractor of Delhi Municipal Contractor Association gathered in Karol Bagh and marched towards civic center and joined the agitating employees and took part in the procession from the civic Centre to Rajghat.
The contractors have decided to go on strike from February 10 if they don’t get their dues as much as `1,700 crore.
The unions further maintained that despite an announcement of a loan of `551 crore for salary payment by the Delhi Government, unions will continue their strike as they want permanent solution of the crisis. The union leaders maintained that one time loan will not bring in relief to ailing agencies as they are in huge burden.
All told, the health services employees including senior doctors, resident doctors, nurses and para medical staff have communicated their decision to call off strike, said a senior municipal corporation officer. The association of municipal corporation teachers too said it ended its agitation following payment of salaries.
“We have received our salaries following which we have decided to call off the strike,” said Ram Niwas Solanki, general secretary of Nagar Nigam Shikshak Sangh.
The commissioners of two civic bodies have directed the zonal deputy commissioners and heads of department to ensure that their staff performed duties as salaries have been disbursed. list of the employees not performing their duties will be forwarded by the officials to the Additional Commissioner (labour) so that it could be submitted before the High Court, officials said.
On Friday, lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has offered `300 crore loan from DDA to bail out two civic bodies besides `551 crore conditional loan released by the Delhi Government on Thursday.