New Delhi, October 9: The East Delhi sanitation workers who were on strike for last 28 days ended their protest on Tuesday after successful talks with Mayor and Commissioner of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). The sanitation workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led EDMC have been on strike demanding regular payment of salaries, regularisation of their jobs, arrears, medical cashless card, retirement benefits and pension.

On Monday, the BJP-led EDMC terminated the services of 26 contractual sanitation workers and suspended 17 others, with immediate effect for allegedly creating an obstruction in work. Earlier on Monday, thousands of workers had staged a huge protest at the Jantar Mantar here, during which police used 'mild force' to disperse the crowd. EDMC Strike: Garbage Piles Up in East Delhi, Centre Tells SC It Can’t Give Funds for Payment of Salaries to Sanitation Workers.

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that it cannot release funds for the payment of salaries to East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) sanitation workers. The apex court, however, asked the Centre to file an affidavit stating the same.

Garbage swelled in several areas of East Delhi as sanitation workers were on strike since September 12. Earlier this month, scores of sanitation workers of the EDMC protested outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to press for their demands, civic body officials said.

The EDMC has around 16,000 workers out of which half of them are permanent employees. Reports inform that the BJP-led EDMC on September 26 had decided to begin the process for permanent employment of contractual sanitation workers who were recruited after March 31, 1998.

However, the president of MCD Swachhata Karmchari Union, Sanjay Gahlot had said that since, there was no assurance of this resolution reaching its desired end from the authorities side, they would continue their agitation in east Delhi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 11:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).