Delhi Govt. should avoid ‘garbage politics’: BJP

The Parade Grounds, which hosts three of the largest Ramlilas, was visibly filthy with food and vegetable waste from stalls strewn all around but a group of North Corporation workers were seen cleaning up the mess.

Politics over garbage raised its head again in the national Capital on Friday with a a few sanitation workers going on strike, and BJP leaders in the municipal corporations and the Aam Aadmi Party government blaming each other. “Also, 58.24% funds were released to East Corporation, but it has received 63.48% from Delhi government this year”, Sisodia said.

A section of MCD sanitation workers today went on strike pressing for fulfillment of their “long-pending” demands, including timely payment of salaries, amid the festive season.

The employees also demand cashless medical facilities in all corporation hospitals.

Joint Front of MCD Unions General Secretary Santlal Chawariya said the sanitation workers affiliated to the Front were not on strike. Even earlier they gave money after the intervention of the court.

The workers claimed they would not allow trucks to transport garbage to landfill sites until the cor porations and city government released their salary arrears.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday claimed that Delhi government has released more funds to city’s three cash-strapped civic bodies till this month as against last October when the Centre was running the state government.

“Till October 2014, North Corporation was given fifty eight.fifty eight% of funds, however the AAP authorities has launched round seventy five% this yr. South Corporation had obtained fifty six.ninety one% funds however this yr it has been given sixty eight.sixty eight%”. “The coming days are very important for Delhi as delegates from African countries will be visiting and Diwali will be celebrated”.

“An attempt is being made to vitiate the atomosphere that Delhi government is not deliberately cooperating with the MCD by not releasing funds to civic bodies”, he said. The mayors said that they are ready to support Delhi government in their sanitation drive, but if the safai karamcharis do not return to work there was no point in discussing the event.

According to the government, the DDA owes the corporations Rs.1,555 crore.