Delhi sanitation workers' strike issue raised in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 2: A massive 5,448.195 metric tons of garbage was lifted and dumped at Gazipur sanitation and land- filling site in order to maintain cleanliness in the East Corporation area during a recent strike by its sanitation staff, Rajya Sabha was told today.

Raising the issue in the Upper House through an unstarred question, Shiv Sena MP Rajkumar Dhoot sought to know whether sanitation staff of the Municipal Corporations of Delhi had gone on strike recently which caused the streets here to turn into a garbage dump.

The MP sought to know the reasons behind the strike and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation.

Replying to Dhoot's question, Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, said that none of the South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation sanitation workers have gone on a strike recently.

However, sanitation staff of East Delhi Municipal Corporation went on a strike over demands concerning the payment of wages and arrears and implementation of assorted welfare measures. ]

The strike was called by various unions of the sanitation staff of EDMC from October 23 to October 29. During the strike, 5,448.195 metric tons of garbage was lifted and dumped at Gazipur sanitation and land-filling site with a view to keeping the East DMC area clean, the minister added.

"The matter has been taken up by East DMC with the government of NCT of Delhi to improve their financial condition," he added.

PTI