Delhi high court slams sanitation staff for 'hooliganism'
It disposed of a plea by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) seeking direction to the city police and the Delhi government to ensure that there is no obstruction in the performance of duties by its officials and employees, including safai karamcharis who are willing to work.
The Delhi high court on Thursday said even though the sanitation workers of the municipal corporations and their unions have a right to protest on the non-payment of salaries, they would not be allowed to create a nuisance or resort to hooliganism by throwing garbage on streets and obstructing other employees from going to work.
A bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said such conduct would not be tolerated and penal action would be taken against the union leaders and members.
It disposed of a plea by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) seeking direction to the city police and the Delhi government to ensure that there is no obstruction in the performance of duties by its officials and employees, including safai karamcharis who are willing to work.
During the hearing, advocate Prakash Kumar, representing the president and secretary of the MCD Swachhata Karamchari Union leaders, who gave the strike call, appeared before the court and assured it that they will not resort to any such conduct or call for strike in the future.
To this, the high court said, “If there is a grievance, you have a right to raise it and nobody is taking away your right. But you cannot create a nuisance and ‘gundagardi (hooliganism)’. We will not allow this and will come down heavily with an iron hand.”
The bench further said, “We will not permit anyone to take law into their hands. ‘Gundagardi’ will not be allowed. Spilling of garbage on streets is not allowed and you cannot restrain others from doing their duties.”
The court said since the president and secretary of the union have appeared before it, it does not wish to pursue the bailable warrants issued earlier against them.
“We have impressed upon the president and secretary of the union that though they are entitled to exercise their rights as provided by the law to raise their grievances, they do not have a right to create nuisance and take law into their hands by spilling garbage on roads and restraining others from performing their duties,” the bench said.
EDMC had earlier said several safai karamcharis unions had called for a strike in March and that they shall be restrained from throwing garbage on streets or hampering the functioning of the corporation.
The EDMC, in its plea, had also sought direction to the authorities to provide necessary assistance so that day-to-day operations of the corporation can be run smoothly and no inconvenience is caused to the members of the general public.