Hundreds of Delhi Jal Board sewer workers unite; Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis Chairman promises to take immediate action.

Groundxero | 28th December, 2023

Hundreds of contractual sewer workers from different zones of Delhi, working under Delhi Jal Board have been removed from their jobs without any prior notice in the past month. Most of these workers, who have been working since the past 10-15 years, were not given their salary for the last 2 months. These workers are responsible for cleaning sewer lines in the city. No notice was issued by the authorities, and they were suddenly removed from their jobs this month. Given the concerning situation of sewer workers, many unions and social organisations held a Public Hearing held at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi on 28th December 2023. 

Around 300 workers from all across Delhi gathered for the Public Hearing and shared their grievances to the Jury Panel and the audience. The testimonies given by the workers revealed shocking realities of their working conditions. Workers from Pitampura, West Delhi said they were never told what their exact salary was and were paid in cash without any receipt by the supervisor. A worker, who chooses to stay anonymous, said “We have been working for 15 years, many contractors come and go but we have to fight for our daily wage of 450 Rupees!” A worker working in Navjeevan Vihar said that he did not get his salary even in the month of  Diwali and Dussehra and his family has been surviving on loan since then. 

A worker from Kalkaji, South Delhi said he was suddenly removed from his job on 7th December without any prior notice or reason. In another case, a worker, from Eidgah store, approached the government authorities on non-payment of salary but after the complaint was filed he was removed from his job and has not been hired by any contractor since. Such intimidation tactics are used by the contractors which stops the workers from voicing their concerns.

Sh. Sanjay Gehlot, Chairman, Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis, who was part of the Jury, took cognisance of the plight of the issues and assured that he will take immediate action to release the due payment and ensure that sewer workers’ jobs are secured.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Colin Gonsalves, who was part of the Jury Panel, told the workers, “Removing you without notice is illegal! Giving your salary in cash is illegal! Not giving you your complete salary is illegal!”

The Jury Panel consisting of Supreme Court lawyer Colin Gonsalves, former Member of Parliament and Vice-President AIKS Hannan Mollah, Indu Prakash Singh Member of State-level Shelter Monitoring Committee; Amitava Guha, National Secretary of CITU; Dithhi Bhattacharya, Director of Centre for Workers Management; Anil Varghese, Social Worker; Advocate Harnam Singh, Chairperson, Monitoring Committee, Delhi High Court, and Meena Kotwal, Founding Editor, The Mooknayak, heard the testimonies of 15 workers and gave the following recommendations:

1. Reinstatement of all contractual sewer workers and payment of all pending dues including wages, Provident funds and other social securities. 
2. As per the minimum wages notification of Delhi government for unskilled labour (Dated: 1st October 2022), workers must be paid a minimum wage of at least  ₹ 17,494/- per month.
3. While appreciating the effort of the Aam Aadmi Party government to regularise 700 contractual workers of DJB, they must regularise all contractual employees who have worked for more than 240 days and the gaps in employment should be considered a sham and bogus.
4. Implementation of court orders of Writ petition (Civil) 5232/2007 in letter and spirit. Also implementation of supreme Court orders dated 20/10/2023 recommending payment of ex gratia of ₹30 lakh in case of death. The Jury also recommends that the compensation be paid immediately without any delay.
5. ESI and Identity Card for all workers in all sectors.
6. Provision of scholarship for children of sewer workers in educational institutions.

Union leaders have decided to approach the CEO of Delhi Jal Board tomorrow with these recommendations and the workers have decided to gather at the DJB Varunalaya till they are given their due salary and given back their jobs.

The Public Hearing was organised by Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) in collaboration with unions like Municipal Workers Lal Jhanda Union (CITU), Delhi Jal Board Sewer Department Mazdoor Sangathan, All DJB Employees Welfare Association, Jal Mal Kaamgaar Sangharsh Morcha, Delhi Jal Board Karamchari Union, National Campaign for Dignity and Rights of Sewerage and Allied Workers (NCDRSAW) and organisations like Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre (PMARC), Sewerage and Allied Workers Forum (SSKM, Vimarsh Media and Magadh Foundation.