Himachal High Court Orders Release of Rs 4 Crore for Safai Karamcharis at IGMC

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a stern order to the state government, directing the Chief Secretary to release Rs 4 crore owed to Corporate Care and Cleanway companies, which are responsible for sanitation services at IGMC (Indira Gandhi Medical College) in Shimla. The court has given the state government a two-day deadline to clear the pending amount.

The bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya, expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay and questioned why the funds had not been released for the past 12 months. In response, Advocate General Anoop Ratna explained that internal departmental disputes at IGMC had been the cause of the delay. However, the court made it clear that it was not concerned with inter-departmental conflicts, emphasizing that such administrative issues should not hinder the release of dues.

The court highlighted the issue of Safai Karamcharis—cleaning staff and ward boys—who have not received their wages for over 10 months due to the lack of payment to the companies. Senior advocate Sanjeev Bhushan, representing the companies, revealed that the government had not paid a single penny to them in the last year, leaving 132 workers without salaries for an extended period.

The court urged the government to act swiftly, noting that the delay in releasing the funds has forced the workers to protest and hold a sit-in. The court has set a strict deadline of two days for the authorities to comply with the order and resolve the matter. This ruling underscores the growing concern over delayed payments and its impact on essential workers, particularly in the healthcare sector.