Residents of East Delhi can expect some relief from the litter and filth on their streets as sanitation workers of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation called off their strike on Friday after the State government announced release of funds to the civic body.
A section of workers, however, continued their agitation, saying that the transfer of funds will not be a permanent solution to their problems. The civic body officials said they will ensure that the mounds of garbage (around 20,000 tonnes) dumped on the streets across East Delhi is cleared by Monday. “Around 100 trucks will be pressed into service to remove the garbage. The garbage collection will begin tonight (Friday) and we are hopeful of clearing it up by Monday,” a senior EDMC official said.
The decision to call off the strike came after the city witnessed “garbage politics”, complete with charges and counter-charges between the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress. While the BJP-ruled civic bodies and the AAP government have been trading charges over the functioning of the municipal corporations for the past few months, the Congress jumped into the fray on Friday with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi joining the safai karamcharis sitting on dharna outside the EDMC headquarters.
Mr. Gandhi extended his support to the agitating workers saying “they need to continue their fight” even as the BJP accused the Congress leader of “inciting the protesters”. Meanwhile, Mayors and commissioners of the three corporations rushed to Lieutenant- Governor Najeeb Jung to sort out the mess.
CASH CRUNCH
Cash-strapped municipal corporations which an estimated revenue of Rs 2,146 crore have no funds to pay its employees.
East Delhi Municipal Corporation | |
Total employees: | 30,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs. 84 crore |
No. of sanitation workers: | 15,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs. 32 crore |
North Delhi Municipal Corporation | |
Total employees: | 65,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs.221 crore |
No. of sanitation workers: | 25,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs. 67 crore |
South Delhi Municipal Corporation | |
Total employees: | 38,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs. 120 crore |
No. of sanitation workers: | 2,000 |
Monthly salary expense: | Rs.50 crore |
