Delhi sanitation workers call off strike, AAP government promises Rs 1,100 crore for salaries

NEW DELHI: Three days after they went on strike, 23 safai karamchari unions on Sunday decided to return to work after an assurance by Delhi government that Rs 1,100 crore will be released for payment of their salaries and arrears. However, BJP , which is ruling all three corporations, claimed that the government is paying only lip service to the workers.
The president of Swatantra Majdoor Vikas Sanyukt Morcha, Sanjay Gehlot said that government has promised to release the amount before Diwali or latest by the first week of December. "Since Diwali is round the corner, we have called off the strike. We hope this amount will be enough to pay our salaries and arrears. We were also assured that medical cards will be made so on for cashless medical treatment," he said.

The workers had gone on strike demanding regular payment of salaries, arrears, regularisation of contractual workers and cashless medical treatment.

East Corporation, which has 15,000 safai karamcharis, requires Rs 400 crore to clear salary arrears. Mayor Harsh deep Malhotra said, "They have only given a verbal assurance to the workers. Let the note sheet and breakup come, then we will know the exact scenario." He feels the corporation will only be paid the budgetary allocation of Rs 76 crore pending from Delhi government under the education head. Apart from safai karamcharis in Moti Nagar, none of the 28,000 workers in participated in the strike as their salaries have been paid in full, claimed North Delhi Municipal Corporation Leader of the House Yogender Chandolia.

The corporation's mayor, Ravinder Gupta said the money promised by the AAP government is no special package. "This is what we should get under our plan and non-plan heads every quarter," he said.

South Corporation, which has 22,800 safai karamcharis, was least affected by the strike as work is outsourced to private firms and there are no salary dues as well. Chairman of the standing committee, Radhey Shyam Sharma said, "We are trying to get medical insurance for sanitation staff under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana."