Sanitation workers' strike leaves National Capital in a mess

The strike by the sanitation workers have left the northern and the eastern part of the national Capital to deal with piles of garbage. The sanitation workers of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation have gone on an indefinite strike demanding payment of arrears, regularisation of contract employees and free online medical cards.

Over 50,000 sanitation workers have been pressing on the demands for over 10 days now. The workers have now declared an indefinite strike leaving residents to struggle with the garbage in their locality.

The workers had announced the strike on March 24 and since then the eastern, the northern and some parts of the southern Delhi are left with garbage piles. The locals allege that the municipal workers have also stopped private workers from collecting garbage from houses.

The Delhi Pradesh Safai Majdoor Union (DPSMU) has called the strike and has announced to return to work only if their demands are fulfilled. "We won't return to work until they convert contract workers into regular ones and also the municipal corporation have to pay our arrears along with free online medical cards to all of us," said Rajendra Mewati, President, DPSMU.