NEW DELHI: The strike by the municipal safai karamcharis (Sweepers) over delayed payment of wages entered its eighth day on September 19, 2018. Considering the effects, the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in East Delhi raised a complaint about growing piles of garbage on streets.
B.S Vohra, president of the East Delhi RWA’s Joint Front, said “Our privately employed people are collecting garbage from homes, but the streets are not getting swept. This is leading to growth in garbage piles everywhere. This will cause spreading of diseases.”
Safai karamchari unions have also been protesting because Delhi government rolled back on its announcement of hiked minimum wage.
Sanjay Ghelot, president of the MCD Swachhata Karamchari Union, who is leading the strike said that they met the Mayor twice and received only assurances. He further added that they will not end the strike till they see some real results.
Nirmal Jain, Leader of the House of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), said, “We are urging the union to give up their strike. The EDMC is in a poor financial situation, we need funds from the Delhi government to be able to meet their demands.”
The EDMC also filed a police complaint against Mr. Ghelot and other office-bearers of the union on September 18, 2018. Complain alleged that they have threatened corporation officials, which Mr. Ghelot denies.
The civic body officials said, “Garbage is still being collected from the dumps. The strike can be broken if people throw their garbage at the designated spots instead of throwing it on roads.”