Workers shouldn't suffer in tussle b/w Centre, Delhi govt: HC

Poor workers should not suffer in the tussle between the Centre, Delhi government and MCD, the Delhi High Court said today.
While hearing the issue of pending salaries of sanitation workers of the city's municipal bodies, the court said due to non-release of funds by the Delhi government, the ultimate sufferers were the workers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the entire national capital.
"MCD is not like a private company that if they do not perform, you will not pay them. Ultimately, workers suffer and, when they go on strike, whole Delhi suffers," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said.

"Let the problems between the Delhi government, Union of India and MCD not come in the way of salaries of workers. We want these poor people to get their dues," it said.
The bench was a hearing a plea seeking a direction to the authorities to ensure that the workers of East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations call off their strike, which started on October 11 and October 16 respectively, and resume work.
The workers had later called off the strike.

The court heard the submissions of Delhi government standing counsel Ramesh Singh and asked if the government was moving in the spirit of releasing the money to MCD.

The counsel sought time to seek instruction after which the bench listed the matter for November 14.
Singh said it was the obligation of MCD and not the Delhi government to pay salaries to sanitation workers and claimed that the civic body was not doing anything on its part.
The court had earlier directed the then striking sanitation employees not to obstruct cleaning of garbage as they caused serious diseases like dengue.
The court was hearing a plea by one Rahul Birla, who had sought a direction to the government and the EDMC to make immediate payment of the arrears.

Advocate Niraj Gupta, appearing for the petitioner, had urged the court to direct the EDMC to issue medical cashless cards to its sanitation workers.
The plea has also sought direction to the authorities to immediately implement the recommendations of the 4th Finance Commission.
The workers of all the three MCDs had also gone on strike in January 2015, October 2015 and January 2016, which had worsened the sanitary conditions and accumulated garbage in the capital posing an imminent risk of outbreak of diseases.