Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) employees, who have been protesting outside the municipal corporation headquarters in Delhi for 25 days, will not receive their salary for this month from the corporation.
The DBC employees have been staging a sit-in protest outside the corporation headquarters since September 29, demanding equal pay and compassionate appointments.
In response, the corporation is preparing to recruit new staff for the anti-mosquito campaign during the upcoming Chhath Puja. It is reported that approximately 1,000 new staff will be appointed, initially for 45 days, to handle the spraying of anti-mosquito medicine and fogging at the Chhath ghats (river banks for rituals).
A senior MCD official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that several rounds of talks have been held with the protesting DBC employees, but their attitude was described as "not positive."
"As there is a significant risk of dengue and malaria spreading during the festival season, we are planning to make temporary appointments of new staff for the Chhath festival preparations," the official said.
He explained that the Delhi government is preparing 1,000 Chhath ghats. These temporary appointments are intended to ensure that at least one employee is available at each ghat for spraying anti-mosquito medicine and conducting fogging.
The official stated that departmental work is being affected by the protest. Because the employees have not been working in their respective areas for a month and no work is being carried out on the ground, their salary for this month will not be released.