NEW DELHI: The strike by sanitation workers was called off partially on Wednesday after a meeting between union leaders and the deliberative wing of the three municipal corporations in the evening.
Standing committee chairman of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Tilak Raj Kataria, said, "We met the union leaders and assured them of fulfilling their demands. A high-level committee comprising members and officials from north and east corporations will be formed to find a solution to the demands of safari karamcharis."
However, Sanjay Gahlot, president of MCD Swachhta Karamchari Union, said that they are in no mood to back out even though a few unions have called off their strike. "We will be on strike till our demands are met," he added. Around 11,000 workers of the total 60,000 have decided not to call off their strike.
Earlier, a group of safai karamcharis had protested outside the office of Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari at Yamuna Vihar due to non-payment of arrears and regularisation of employment.
"We also burnt Tiwari's effigy for making false promises to us. He had told us that once BJP wins the civic elections, they will ensure that all safai karamcharis are regularised and their arrears are cleared. But now no one is coming to help us," said Gahlot.
With workers being on strike for days, east Delhi areas have been the worst affected with garbage remaining dumped on the roads. The areas include Geeta Colony, Krishna Nagar, Vishwas Nagar, Pandav Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Shakarpur. When residents tried to get the mess cleared by a private labourer, the agitating safai karamcharis blocked their efforts.
"Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal should intervene in the sanitation crisis and provide a solution," said BS Vohra, president of RWA Federation of East Delhi.
