Garbage being removed, but some workers still on strike

Representational image.

A section of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) sanitation workers continued with their strike on Wednesday, even as the civic body claimed that thousands of tonnes of garbage was removed by the staff who had come back to work.

The safai karamcharis had gone on strike on January 6 as they had not been paid salaries for November and December. With the Delhi government releasing funds, the EDMC was able to pay the sanitation staff on Monday and Tuesday, as a result of which many returned to work on Wednesday.

‘Need permanent solution’

However, some workers’ unions refused to call off their strike, saying that demands of a permanent solution to the late salaries and payment of arrears were yet to be met. This was the fifth strike by sanitation staff in the two years.

While garbage remained strewn at some spots, the EDMC said that garbage trucks made 420 trips on Tuesday night and dumped 2,020 metric tonnes (MT) of trash at Ghazipur landfill. From 6 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 234 trips were made and 1,186.47 MT of garbage was dumped. With the daily production of garbage being around 2,500 MT, it will take a few days for the EDMC to clear the trash.

The workers on strike, meanwhile, carried out protests and threatened to expand the stir to include hospital staff. While the EDMC has paid sanitation workers, other employees are yet to be paid.

“We want a permanent solution. Why should the people of Delhi suffer every few months? The EDMC and the government have still not given us a clear solution,” said Sanjay Gehlot, of the MCD Swachhta Karamchari Union that is still on strike.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, which is yet to pay all staff for December, also saw protests on Wednesday. Rajendra Mewati, general-secretary of the United Front of MCD Employees, said that a protest was held in the Narela Zone and that the stir would continue till demands of timely salaries, arrears and pensions for retired staff are met.