DTC protest enters 10th day; electricity, water cut off

The DTC contractual workers' strike entered the 10th day with five people sitting on an indefinite hunger strike and hundreds shouting slogans with no electricity and water.

"This is a conspiracy by the authorities to break us and end our protest," said Manoj Sharma, Working President of the Contractual Employees Union.

A union functionary said in the last 10 days, no one from the Delhi government or DTC has spoken to the contractual drivers and conductors about their demands.

"We do not require minimum wages. We need equal pay for equal work, job security, hiring back of the terminated contractual employees and a complete ban on privatisation of bus services," he said.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rebel Kapil Mishra joined the protestors on Wednesday and said all of the DTC protestors' demands can be met if the Delhi government clears funds.

Meanwhile, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and DTC claimed that 96 per cent of the scheduled buses plied on Wednesday as compared to 94 per cent the previous day.

"Out of the 3,559 buses, only 132 buses did not run. Cluster buses (about 1,600), on the other hand, are running smoothly," a senior DTC official told IANS.

The Delhi government has sent a notice to the union, informing it about the restored minimum wages and why the protest is illegal following imposition of the Essential Services Act.

The union condemned the notice and said that it will continue with the protest.

--IANS

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