Will dump garbage on streets on Diwali, say protesting municipal workers

Delhi’s sanitation condition may go for a toss on with agitating municipal sanitation workers threatening protests, demonstrations and even dumping of garbage on the streets.

Delhi’s sanitation condition may go for a toss on with agitating municipal sanitation workers threatening protests, demonstrations and even dumping of garbage on the streets.

A heap of garbage on a road as East Delhi Municipal Corporation employees went on strike to press their various demands, at Near Ganesh Nagar, in New Delhi,. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

The municipal sanitation workers have been on strike in the city since October 23 and have been demanding the payment of arrears, even as garbage has been piling on the streets and the fear of epidemic looms over the national capital during the festival season.

The protestors claim dumping garbage was the only way to make the government and the authorities hear their voices. The workers have even threatened to lead protest outside the chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house on Diwali. Senior officials of the municipal corporation, however, rubbished such threats and said extensive sanitation drives have been planned to make sure that people are not affected on Diwali.

“With the government paying no heed to our demands, protest and massive demonstrations are our only paths left. We will dump garbage on the streets and lead massive protest on Diwali if our demands are not met. If the government doesn’t want the city to turn into a pile of garbage, it must pay us our money,” said Rajinder Mewati, general secretary of the United Front of MCD employees.