Miffed over non-payment of salaries for two months, municipal sanitation workers threw garbage at the East Corporation’s headquarter in Patparganj on Friday.
The demonstration was a part of the ongoing strike by the safai karamcharis (sweepers) since Tuesday.
Scores of safai karamcharis assembled outside the headquater around 10 am and shouted slogans: “Desh ke hith mein kaam karenge, kaam ka pura daam lenge (We will work for the benefit of the country, we will take money for the work done)”.
The corporation guards locked the gates to stop them from entering the building. So the sanitation workers threw garbage at the gates and demonstrated for over two hours.
Safai karamchari unions said the employees have not been given salaries for the last two months.
“Officials with the civic agency have been making hollow promises for the last two months.
The sanitation workers have not been given salaries for April and May. How can they continue to work empty stomach?” said Rajendra Mewati, president of Delhi Pradesh Safai Mazdoor Union.
“We will continue to protest until all sanitation workers get salaries for the last two months,” he added.
There are over 8,000 sanitation workers deployed by the civic agency to lift garbage under its areas.
The East Corporation is in the red and it requires Rs 100 crore a month to pay salaries to its over 45,000 employees.
Even the North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s employees staged a protest at the Civic Centre on Friday.
They have also not received salaries for couple of months.
“Most of the employees have not received salaries for two months, while there are some who have not got salaries for three months,” said a senior official with the North Corporation.
“We are seeking funds from the city government so that the civic agency can at least pay salaries to its employees,” he added.
Even the north civic agency does not have funds to pay salaries to its employees. It needs Rs 200 crore a month to pay salaries and other benefits to its over 70,000 personnel.