Will release funds for EDMC workers' salaries: Sisodia

The Delhi government has decided to release funds for payment of salaries of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) sanitation workers, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday.

"We have decided to release the money for the salaries of sanitation workers of east Delhi. Soon they will get their salaries," Sisodia said at a press briefing in the Delhi secretariat.

The sanitation workers of the EDMC had recently staged protests against the delay in their salaries since February.

As part of the protest the workers not only refused to clean the streets, but dumped garbage at various locations and streets.

Sisodia also said the money would be used only for the purpose of salaries of the sanitation workers.

Asked about the amount to be released by the government for the purpose, Sisodia said he was yet to fix the amount and the work was in progress.

"Within 2-3 days people will get to know about the figure too," Sisodia said.

The announcement came following a meeting of the delegation of sanitation workers with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat.

The delegation apprised him of their demands and issues related to their salaries and medical facilities.

A statement from the Delhi government said the sanitation workers also apprised Kejriwal of the fact that the MCDs only have two-three hospitals in their panels where treatment was allowed.

During the meeting, Kejriwal was told about Delhi's St. Stephens hospital, one of the hospitals in MCD panel, where an advance of Rs.50,000 has to be paid for treatment which is a tough task for sanitation workers.

The Delhi government has also decided to write to the commissioners of all the three corporations directing them to issue cashless health cards to the sanitation workers.

Sisodia said: "The commissioners of all the three corporations will be directed in this connection. A letter will also be written to the lt. governor to direct the corporations to issue cashless cards for the sanitation workers."