New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS): The Delhi High Court, asking the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) to disburse pending salaries of 9,000 teachers employed by it, stated that it won't allow the civic body to deprive any employee of the "little joy of festivity".

"Don't forget, Diwali is about to come. We won't allow you to deprive any employee of that little joy of festivity," a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad told the civic body while hearing a suo motu PIL initiated by the court with regard to the disbursement of unpaid salaries of teachers in schools run by the civic body.

While the matter was being heard through video conferencing, counsel for the NrDMC apprised the bench that the salaries for the month of June has been released by the civic body on September 8.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government also told the court that Rs 98.35 crore was released to the NrDMC on September 3 and the amount will cover the salaries of teachers for September and October.

Following these submissions, the NrDMC counsel submitted that he will seek instructions with regards to the receiving of the amount from the Delhi government. The bench has asked the civic body to file a status report in this regard.

The court will now hear the matter next on on November 5.