HC intervenes in Delhi's 'dirty' politics, orders govt to release MCD workers' salaries

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the ruling AAP government here to release the salary dues of the east MCD employees by June 15.

The high court also issued notices to Centre, Delhi Govt and East MCD on pleas seeking removal of garbage and payment of salaries to the civic body staff.

The high court, while directing the Delhi Police and East MCD to hold a meeting for ensuring the removal of huge stockpile of garbage, said the issue in East Delhi has reached alarming proportions.

Sanitation workers of the East and North Municipal Corporations have been on strike intermittently to protest non-payment of salaries.

Workers from the East Delhi Corporation have in the past dumped garbage in Mayur Vihar and Patparganj areas to protest the delay in payments to them.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recently met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and sought Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre to pay pending salaries of sanitation workers, doctors and teachers of municipal corporations in the city.

Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today met the protesting MCD employees who have struck work to protest against non-payment of salaries for the last three months.

Gandhi met the protesting workers at East Delhi Municipal Corporation headquarters at Patparganj here. Delhi Congress Committee president Ajay Maken also accompanied the party vice president during his interaction with the striking staff.

A tweet from his official Twitter account said: "He was speaking to the protesting safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) about the delay in salary payments and other issues faced by them".

Importantly, Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung announced that Rs 493 crore would be released to the civic bodies today itself to cover the dues.

The Lt Governor also appealed to the mayors to persuade the employees to call off the strike in the interest of the residents of Delhi.