The Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) was in for severe criticism from the Delhi High Court on Friday for “treating its workers worse than animals”.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva was appalled when presented with photographs of workers living over a nullah in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash-I amid rubble and waste.
“Are you treating your workers like this? They are worse than animals,” remarked Justice Sachdeva.
“There has to be some decency. There is garbage, malba all around. Is there some standard for your workers? What arrangements do you make for them,” the judge asked.
The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar, highlighting how the workers, engaged by the PWD to cover the drain, had started living there.
“The workers have been living over the drain even after the work of covering it has been complete. The workers have families there and have even started dealing in scrap, etc. They have established themselves there,” said Mr. Kumar.
Mounting problems
He further said that the workers disrupted the DJB water supply to nearby areas since they lived over a drain with no water supply or sewerage.
They also burn waste, he said, and presented photographs in this regard.
“How do you treat people? You are the State, you cannot do this. You must ensure that these workers have a decent accommodation. It is pitiable,” the court said while looking at the photographs.
Later, it issued notices to PWD and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation in the matter.
