MCD crisis: LG Najeeb Jung offers Rs 300 crore loan to end the strike

As the strike by the MCD workers entered its tenth day, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on 5 February made a unilateral offer of Rs 300 crores loan to the North and East Corporations from the DDA.

This offer would help pay the workers till 31 March. Jung has also assured the three mayors of the MCD that he would speak to the government on implementation of the fourth Finance Commission to find a long-term solution to the problems of the workers.

"The step-motherly treatment by the Aam Aadmi Party Government towards us is condemnable. The MCD should get a permanent solution which the Delhi Government is not giving," said North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Ravinder Gupta.

He also requested the MCD workers to get back to work for the people of Delhi. "We are warning the Delhi Government that they need to provide the people of the city with better good governance. And they also need to find a permanent solution to the problems of the Municipal Corporation," he added.

Echoing his sentiments, East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Harshdeep Malhotra said, "After the intervention by Arvind Kejriwal, we promised to give the MCD workers their salaries till January 31. After the intervention of the LG, we can assure workers their salaries till March 31. They must now return to work."

He added that the pending arrears of the workers can be paid only after the implementation of the Fourth Pay Commission.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Subhash Arya said, "The LG has said that he would write to the Delhi Government."

Earlier today, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to all the unions in view of the strike. The court observed that common people in the city are suffering owing to the ongoing tussle between the BJP-ruled MCD and the AAP-ruled Delhi Government. The counsels for all the four MCDs told the court that salaries till January 31 have been paid and added that the workers were now on strike for arrears.

-ANI