NEW DELHI: In a plea to restore their livelihood, over 10,000 civil defence volunteers of Delhi have issued an open letter to the Delhi government and leaders of AAP and BJP.
The letter highlighted the severe hardships faced by the volunteers since their abrupt termination a year ago and called for their immediate reinstatement.
The letter was released during a press conference held by the representatives of the volunteers where they they talked about how the Delhi Civil Defence has played a critical role in public safety during the G20 Summit and emergency response throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with volunteers actively involved in disaster management, public welfare, and law enforcement support.
The Civil Defence Volunteers were suddenly removed from their roles, and their salaries stopped arbitrarily last year. This decision has left their families struggling to meet basic needs, with some even resorting to extreme measures in the face of financial despair.
“The education of our children has been disrupted. We are battling immense financial and emotional stress,” the letter read.
The volunteers have been meeting leaders across the political spectrum since their termination but are yet to see any concrete steps toward their reinstatement from the L-G office. The letter expresses gratitude to the Delhi Assembly for passing proposals in their favour twice but notes that no tangible actions have followed.