New Delhi, Sept 17: Perturbed by the over a week-long stir by mosquito breeding checkers in the peak dengue season in the national capital, the Municipal
Corporation of Delhi is now contemplating strong steps like
termination of contracts of the agitating workers.
Since September 8 when some 2,500 domestic breeding
checkers (DBCs), contractual employees with the MCD, went on
strike demanding regularisation of jobs, the city has recorded
138 dengue cases and officials of the civic body are now
considering "harsh measures".
"Among the 3,200 DBCs, only about 750 are reporting for
work. But we had recently advertised for 420 vacant posts, for
which we have received 6,000 applications," MCD Public Health
Committee Chairman V K Monga said.
To improve the field situation, a new batch of 420 DBCs
are being brought in. "If the strike is not resolved in
two to three days, we may even think of taking more new
people, effectively ending the contract of striking workers,"
he said.
While MCD maintains it is not possible to regularise the
DBCs, the workers have begun a prolonged agitation, starting a
relay hunger strike near the MCD headquarters. They were
staging a dharna there for 10 days.
The agitating DBCs said many of them have not been
paid their salaries for the last 10 months.
"We play an important role in preventing diseases like
dengue and malaria. We pay door-to-door visits, check for
mosquito breeding and also help in raising public awareness.
But we are not paid our dues," said Vinod Sharma, president of
the Anti-Malaria Karamachari Sangh which is spearheading the
protests.
"For the last several years, we are serving the MCD. Why
cannot we be regularised," Sharma asked. "We even have a court
order in our favour," he claimed.
The MCD insists that salaries of only some DBCs are
pending and the process of giving payments to them has been
started.
"They only delivered cheques to some people after we
began the strike. We are not accepting the payment," Sharma
countered.
MCD officials said September-October is the peak season
for dengue cases and the strike is only a "blackmailing
tactic".
"We are negotiating with them and do not want to take
harsh measures. But if they are adamant, we will also have to
think otherwise keeping in mind the public interest," Monga
said.
The ruling BJP in MCD accuses the "opposition lobby" of
"instigating" the protesters while the Congress has openly
come out in support of the DBCs holding the BJP responsible
for the situation.
Amid the stand-off, dengue cases are increasing rapidly
in the city. Delhi has reported 274 cases and one death so far
this year and officials say at least till September-end, the
cases are not expected to decline.
However, they say that there is no need to press the
panic button yet and claimed that the disease will not take
epidemic proportions.
Bureau Report
