To prevent sanitation workers of North Delhi Municipal Corporation from going on strike, the civic body has been organising Diwali get- togethers and dinners at the houses of councillors.
Standing Committee chairperson of the north corporation, Tilak Raj Kataria, proposed that every councillor should invite sanitation workers and their families for a meal at their houses before Diwali to spread a message of oneness among the workers.
Breaking the ice
“They are a part of our work family and thus it will be nice to call them home, just like we invite our relatives. This will help break the ice between us and them and we can personally listen to their problems,” said Mr. Kataria.
He said that though the civic body cannot dictate the requirements of this get- together, the councillors can give gifts to the sanitation workers and their families and send them off.
“The general practice is to distribute gifts during Diwali. It wouldn’t hurt us to buy an extra box of sweets. This might be a little gesture for us, but it will go a long way in building relationships. They are no different from us,” he said.
Many councillors have already started organising get togethers for sanitation wokers in their wards. These gatherings have food, drinks and a few performances to entertain the crowd and ease the tension of the ongoing strikes of the sanitation workers.
Jai Prakash, councillor from Sadar Bazar, organised a lunch for all the workers last week, where they were assured that their dues will be paid and working conditions will be improved.
‘In city’s interest’
“They are doing their jobs and we are doing ours. Both of us have the best interests of the people of Delhi in mind. If we work in coordination then the work will run smoothly,” he said.
Since October 11, sanitation workers of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) have been on strike, demanding payment of arrears since 2003, cashless health benefits and regularisation of contractual workers.
On Monday, many sanitation workers from the South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation also joined the strike.
Though workers’ unions claimed that the strike is spreading to other parts of the city, and is likely to affect the sanitation scene in the national capital before Diwali, the councillors of the north corporation said that no worker from the municipality has joined the strike. “We have no information of any worker from the north corporation joining the strike,” Mr. Kataria said.
