Striking MCD workers block roads, throw traffic out of gear

As the MCD staffers strike entered its eighth day on Wednesday, Delhi’s Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi described the evolving situation as alarming. “We can feel the pain of the unpaid staff. Now, we will help the sanitation workers in getting their dues from the DDA”, said Manish Sisodia in a press conference held on Monday.

Kejriwal, who is now in Bengaluru, has tweeted: “We have tried to find a solution to ongoing MCD strike”.

“The Lt Governor in his letter written to Kejriwal and Sisodia said that there is presently a serious situation in Delhi and, if the strike continues, the law and order situation may deteriorate in Delhi”, sources said.

Earlier, workers blocked major roads in the capital throwing peak hour traffic out of gear even as the Delhi government suggested that the continuing protests, that have brought the city to its knees, were “political” and instigated by BJP.

The Delhi BJP chief said only 19 trucks of PWD and DJB have reached the landfill site and captured in CCTV at landfill sites over the last two days while the AAP government is claiming that 91 truckloads of garbage was removed from roads and community bins.

Meanwhile, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung met Home Minister Rajnath Singh this afternoon at his residence in New Delhi.

Hospitals and schools run by civic bodies were also affected as doctors, hospital staff, teachers and school employees joined the protest.

Jain questioned the role of councillors and mayors of the BJP-ruled corporations in the protests.

The employees have been paid salaries till December 2015, the civic bodies told a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath.

“It seems like politics now”. Only North Corporation pays Rs 2,700 crore as salaries to its employees.

“In view of the precarious financial situation of the MCDs, health services (except public health) may be taken away from the corporation and may be considered for being taken over by the Delhi or central government as a permanent solution to our problems”, the letter said.