Sanitation workers paid salaries till January: HC told

The sanitation workers of the three municipal corporations here, who called off their strike last week, today told Delhi High Court that they have received their wages till January.
The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath, which on February 10 had said that they were not concerned as to who will pay the wages and had directed the Delhi government and the municipalities to make the payments.
During the hearing, the parties informed the bench that the salaries to all safai karamchaaris in the national capital have been paid.
Taking note of the safai karamchaaris and workers unions' submission, the court listed the matter for February 23, saying it will "monitor the matter".

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation informed the court that that they have also paid salaries to teachers and doctors till January this year.
However, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation's engineer claimed in the court that they have not received their salary till date and sought the court's direction.

The bench then said the issue required consideration and has not yet closed the hearing into the petition.
The court is hearing three pleas filed by three different individuals.
A PIL by Birender Sangwan has sought lifting of garbage littered on streets due to the safai karamchaaris strike and that the stir be called off as it was causing hardship to the general public.

Another petition filed by D P Chandel, President of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), has sought directions to the Delhi government and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to release arrears as per the sixth pay commission to employees of the civic body. The plea, also by Rakesh Vaid, its General Secretary, has prayed for release of salaries within the first week of each month.
In January end, Rahul Birla moved the court when the safai karamchaaris decided to go on strike, claiming that the concerned authorities were not paying salaries and arrears since 2003 to the workers of the MCD.

He had said the workers of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation -- had gone on strike last year too, which had led to "accumulation of garbage for number of days at different places, which made the lives of people pathetic and miserable". It said if the court does not intervene, it will spark a major health crisis in the capital.