Delhi garbage crisis nears end as sanitation workers resume work

The sanitation workers East Delhi Municipal Corporation ended their strike on Friday after being assured of salary in next couple of days.

New Delhi: Around 15,000 sanitation workers ended their 12-day-long strike on Friday after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung announced to release Rs 493 crore for their salaries.

The municipal corporations said all the striking sanitation workers have returned to work and heaps of garbage across East Delhi and in some other parts of the city are being removed on an emergency basis.

Heaps of garbage have been rotting on roads and bylanes, particularly in east Delhi raising stink and health concerns as frustrated citizens voiced their anger against the authorities. East Delhi Municipal Corporation spokesman said on an average 2,000 to 2,200 metric tonnes of garbage are daily generated.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said around Rs 500 crore have already been released to municipal corporations to pay the salaries of their employees.

"All the MCD workers will be paid their salaries by 10th of every month and their pending dearness allowance arrears will be cleared within a week," said a top official.

This came hours after Delhi High Court directed the city government, Chief Secretary and Urban Development secretary to hold a meeting with the EDMC Commissioner on Saturday morning and decide the amount required by EDMC for payment of salaries while ensuring that it is released soon.

The bench also directed the Delhi government to ensure that the required funds are "provisionally" transferred by June 15 with the condition that it would be used only for paying the EDMC employees.

It also directed the Police Commissioner, or his representative, and Commissioner of EDMC to meet today itself to work in close coordination over setting up of task force to ensure "removing of garbage is straight away carried out".

The court passed the order after it perused news reports and pictures submitted by advocate Sanjeev Ralli, who showed photographs of various areas in east Delhi where garbage has spilled onto the roads.

The bench issued notice to Centre, Delhi government, EDMC and various associations of safai karamchaaris, seeking their replies before the next date of hearing on June 19, when the authorities have been directed to submit their compliance reports.

(With Agency Inputs)