With MCD panel still not elected, services of three 'third parties' discontinued: Sources

As the standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is yet to be elected, services of three 'third parties' have been discontinued by the civic body from April 1 onwards, and they have been directed to withdraw data entry operators and other contractual workers engaged through them, official sources said on Monday.

Earlier, a group of BJP councillors protested at the Civic Centre -- MCD's headquarters -- and alleged that "services of contract workers have been discontinued".

"A delegation of the opposition party in the AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) submitted a memorandum to the Delhi mayor's OSD, demanding service contract renewal of all contract employees," the Delhi BJP said in a statement.

It also claimed that services of DBC (dengue breeding checking) workers have also been discontinued.

A senior official, however, when asked abut the claim, said, "As far as I know, only data entry operators and some 'maalis' will get impacted." "The standing committee is authorised to extend the contract of services of third parties engaged with the MCD. As the standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is yet to be elected, services of three third parties have been discontinued by the civic authorities, with effect from April 1," said an official source.

Authorities have also issued orders to that effect on March 31, he said. One of the orders issued regarding a third party firm reads, "In continuation of this department's work order No. AO/SO-IV/CED/2023/4098 dated 10.01.2023 vide which your service was extended till 31.03.2023. The Competent Authority vide its approval dated 29.03.2023 has discontinued its services from the MCD beyond March 31 to provide data entry operators (DEOs)." The order also directed the firm to "withdraw data entry operators (DEOs)" engaged through it from the work of MCD beyond March 31 and do not deploy these DEOs for the work of MCD, with effect from April 1.

No payment will be made by MCD to the third party, if any work is carried out by the data entry operators of the firm, it says, adding, the order has been issued with approval of the competent authority.

The Delhi BJP alleged that despite 15 years of adverse economic condition, mayors during the BJP rule of the MCD "protected interests of MCD workers," but it is a matter of regret that within 40 days of coming to power, the AAP has made "thousands of contract workers jobless," BJP leader Kamaljeet Sehrawat alleged.

Sources said about 7,000 workers are likely to get impacted by the discontinuation of services of the three third parties.

The saffron party alleged that it had happened due to "negligence of mayor Shelly Oberoi and leaders of the ruling AAP".

"Thousands of contractual employees of the MCD and DBC workers have been rendered jobless due to non-renewal of contract of workers on March 31," it claimed.

Besides Sehrawat, former North Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, former East Delhi mayor Neema Bhagat, Jai Bhagwan Yadav, Rekha Gupta, Parvez Wahi, Shikha Rai, Yogesh Verma, Indrajit Sehrawat, among others, took part in the protest.

The mayor office, in a statement, issued later in the day, said, "Oberoi's crucial intervention will help the employees of Municipal Corporation of Delhi in retaining their jobs." The mayor has decided to renew the contracts of the contractual employees "with the help of special provisions," it said.

Due to the non-constitution of the Standing Committee, there has been a "delay" in the extension of contact for contractual employees. A decision has been taken on this after a meeting with the commissioner in the evening, the statement said.

The contracts of the employees associated with the horticulture department have been "renewed today," it claimed.

The contracts of domestic breeding checkers have already been renewed. Apart from this, the contract of teachers will be renewed this week and that of data entry operators by April 10, it further said.

Oberoi said she also met with data entry operators, teachers, gardeners and other MCD contractual employees at the Civic Centre today. "No one needs to worry about their job. I guarantee to all MCD employees that everyone will get an extension of contract. Aam Aadmi Party and CM Arvind Kejriwal will not let any employee suffer," the mayor said.