Delhi public health workers announce indefinite strike starting today as dengue cases surge

According to the union's letter to Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, the strike begins on Monday, July 31, with a protest demonstrated outside Civic Centre on Minto Road. Delhi Traffic Polie has not issued any advisory as of yet and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is also yet to comment on the matter.

Anti-Malaria Ekta Karmachari Union union, comprising approximately 2,800 Dengue Breeding Checking (DBC) workers and around 2000 field workers, seeks payment of pending salaries, regularisation of their services, and other benefits as permanent municipal employees.

However, other reports suggest that the number of employees participating in the strike might be around 3,200. Due to these discrepancies, the exact count of the striking workers remains uncertain.

The strike is a result of the workers' long-standing demands not being met by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). These demands include the regularisation of their jobs, improved working conditions, and increased health benefits, such as health cards and support for the family members of deceased workers. The DBC workers feel neglected despite playing a crucial role in combating diseases like dengue and malaria.

Devanand Sharma, the union's president, expressed their grievances, stating that only one casual leave is granted per month to DBC workers, and they face an excessive workload without proper health coverage. The union insists on having their jobs regularised, a promise yet to be fulfilled by MCD authorities.

"We understand our role in combating dengue and malaria, but no one cares, how much we are suffering," said Sharma.

The strike coincides with a concerning period for Delhi, as monsoon rains and waterlogging in some areas have heightened the risk of vector-borne diseases, particularly dengue.

Copies of the strike notices were sent to the MCD via its mayor and commissioner, Sharm said. He added that the notice had also been sent to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor V K Saxena.

In response to the strike announcement, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi assured that the workers' demands will be addressed, but urged the public to cooperate with the DBC staff during inspections to prevent mosquito breeding.

Just three days ago, the Delhi government increased the fine on mosquito breeding due to a recent surge in dengue cases. They also announced several other measures to curb the situation.

The number of potential mosquito breeding sites has surged recently due to flooding and waterlogging in the city. More than 160 dengue cases were reported in the national capital till mid-July this year, the highest for this period since 2018, according to an MCD report. The report stated that 54 cases of malaria have been recorded in the same period.

The DBC workers have been at the forefront of combating mosquito-borne diseases since 1996, and they played a pivotal role during the severe dengue outbreak that year, which claimed more than 420 lives in Delhi.

Despite their significant contributions, they still operate as contractual employees, with their services not being regularized.

A report by The Hindu indicated that dengue breeding checkers from the same union had threatened an indefinite strike over their demand for employment regularisation back in February 2022 as well. However, not much progress has been made since then as their problems persist.