Partly agreeing to demands of striking sanitation workers, a cash-strapped East Delhi Municipal Corporation today said it has released their salaries due for February, and asked them to resume work.
"EDMC has released 100 per cent salaries for the month of February of the 'safai karamcharis', and hence the cause of the strike is addressed. We therefore appeal to those employees to return to work," East Delhi Municipal Commissioner Amit Yadav said.
"They are advised to resume their work and fullfill the responsibility as citizens are facing difficulties and inconvenience due to their strike and unwarranted style of demonstration," he said.
Demanding release of salaries, several sanitation workers of EDMC yesterday went on strike called by the Delhi Pradesh Safai Karmachari Union, causing inconvenience and discomfort to many people in Laxmi Nagar, Patparganj, among others.
Workers not only refused to pick up garbage, but at some places, they even threw garbage on the streets as a form of protest.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is a member of the Delhi legislative Assembly from Patparganj.
EDMC employs over 12,000 safai karmacharis, both in regular and contractual capacities.
The Commissioner said the corporation, currently under a huge debt has accepted the demand for paying of due salaries, but we cannot "bow to other demands of the workers".
"It is evident that EDMC is going through financial crisis yet arrangements have been made to release their salaries. Since the cause of grievance is addressed they are expected to perform their duties and not stop others from performing their duties.
"Besides, they have other other demands like cashless cards, among others, which need to be addressed in a proper way...We are ready to even hold talks with them and negotiate but going off duty and causing inconvenience to others is not the answer," Yadav said.
The EDMC has been running into losses worth several hundred crores and has been seeking funds from both Delhi government and the Centre to come out of the red.
