Delhi govt flaunts cleanliness drives while 1,500 school sanitation workers go unpaid for 5 months
New Delhi: Even as the Delhi government flaunts its cleanliness drives and school hygiene campaigns, nearly 1,500 sanitation workers deployed across around 250 schools have gone unpaid for the last five months, as reported The New Indian Express on Friday.
These workers, hired through the outsourcing agency Orion Security Solutions Pvt. Ltd., have reportedly not received a single month's salary since April 2025, despite being responsible for the daily cleaning and maintenance of schools under the Directorate of Education.
The issue was formally raised by senior lawyer Ashok Agarwal, who has written to the Secretary of Education demanding immediate action. In his letter, Agarwal called the situation “inhuman,” noting that the continued denial of wages has caused severe financial and social distress for the workers and their families, who are struggling to meet basic needs.
“For the last five months, these sanitation workers have not been paid their due salaries. It is most unfortunate that these employees, who already belong to a very low-income group and live hand-to-mouth, are being subjected to such inhuman treatment,” Agarwal wrote.
He also mentioned that the non-payment of salaries is not only illegal and unjustified but also a violation of the fundamental right to livelihood, protected under Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution of India, in addition to breaching several labour laws, added the report.
Agarwal has urged the education department to immediately disburse all pending payments and to establish a systemic mechanism to prevent such delays in the future.
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Kumaraswamy accuses Cong govt of 'neglecting' farmers in Karnataka
Mysuru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of "neglecting" the farmers in the state and being involved in corruption.
The JD(S) leader took part in an event where President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 1066th Jayanthi celebrations of Adi Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeshwara Shivayogi Mahaswamiji at Malavalli in Mandya district, which comes under his Lok Sabha constituency.
"I saw a report that 2,800 farmers have died by suicide after this government came to power (in state). The government seems to be not concerned about the farmers. This government on coming to power said that it will give Rs 24,000 crore as loan to 32 lakh farmers for their farming activities, but till November, about Rs 12,000 crore has been paid to 24 lakh farmers, limiting to what was there earlier by managing the books of account," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "These things show the failures of this government. Also, there is a corrupt system. I will not speak about it now. After December 20, I will speak to you in detail. There are a lot of issues to share with you."
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Responding to a question, the JD(S) leader, who turned 66 today, said there is no use of giving any documents. "I'm waiting for the right time."
Regarding the Congress government introducing a bill against "hate speech" in the Assembly, Kumaswamy said it is aimed at silencing the opposition in the state, but they won't be successful.
"What do Congress leaders have to say about their workers' comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi?. He cited slogans -- 'Modi teri kabr khudegi, aaj nahi to kal khudegi' (Modi's grave will be dug.. if not today, then tomorrow) -- allegedly raised against Modi at a Congress rally in Delhi on Sunday.
