North MCD teachers on Covid duty yet to be paid for February, March

The teachers have been assigned this duty for the last few weeks, to help those in need due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Teachers employed by the north civic body, who are currently deployed at the government’s food distribution centres in schools, are struggling to make ends meet due to non-payment of salaries since February.

Around 8,000 teachers working in 714 north civic body schools are facing hardships due to non-payment of salaries. (HT file)

The teachers have been assigned this duty for the last few weeks, to help those in need due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

A 37-year-old teacher, employed at a school in Budhh Vihar, cycles through deserted roads to reach the school every alternate day. He measures the ration, distributes cooked food among the poor and maintains records of the centre.

He says that despite performing the assigned tasks, he is unable to even purchase groceries and shops are refusing to give items on credit. “I’m the only earning member of the family. It’s become difficult to survive without a salary. We don’t know how to make our ends meet in this lockdown. The grocery shop near our home has stopped giving us ration on credit, since we could not clear bills of February and March. I don’t know what to do,” he said.

Around 8,000 teachers working in 714 north civic body schools are facing hardships due to non-payment of salaries. The teachers’ association has reached out to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in this regard as well.

In a letter sent to Kejriwal and Sisodia’s office on Friday, Ramnivas Solanki, the president of teachers’ association of the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools, said, “While the teachers of east and south MCD schools have received their salaries, those working in north MCD schools are not being paid since February. However, the teachers are given the responsibility of disturbing the cooked food and ration to the poor. They are risking their lives to help people amid the lockdown. Kindly please ensure that these teachers receive their salaries.”

Officials of the north civic body said that they have not received funds from the Delhi government to pay the salaries. “We are waiting for the funds to be released by the Delhi government,” said north MCD commissioner, Varsha Joshi.

However, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that is not the case. “We have paid all dues. North MCD has to check where all the money is going,” he said.

The teacher’s association stated that the government should issue a notice for payment of salaries to MCD teachers, on the lines of directions issued to private schools. “The government has recently asked all private schools to pay the salaries of their staff on time. Why this discrimination with the MCD teachers?” said Solanki.

A senior Delhi government official said that they have received the complaint and transferred it to the authorities concerned for further action. “We are looking into the matter. The Delhi government is also in contact with the north civic body officials,” the official said.