Garbage crisis in Delhi: AAP, BJP in blame game

Delhi Government today deployed hundreds of PWD workers to lift garbage from across the city as nearly 60,000 sanitation workers of municipal corporations continued their indefinite strike demanding payment of their dues amid a blame game over the issue between AAP and BJP, which rules the three civic bodies.
In more bad news, over 7,000 doctors and 10,000 nurses of hospitals run by the municipal corporations also went on indefinite strike demanding salary and arrears. Around 12,000 engineering staff of the civic bodies also joined the stir.
Delhi government has been maintaining that it has provided adequate funds of over Rs 2,187 crore under non-planned head to the three municipal corporations in the current fiscal, alleging that a "salary scam" has led to the crisis.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment, said he has issued direction to deploy as many trucks as needed to clear the city of garbage and accused BJP of playing politics on the issue.
"I have directed govt to deploy as many trucks as are needed to lift garbage. Public should not be inconvenienced," he tweeted.
"BJP is spreading garbage across the city. AAP government is clearing them. Own politics. I appeal to people to help us clearing the garbage," he further said.

On the fourth day of the strike by the sanitation workers, hundreds of BJP workers joined the agitators extending the party's solidarity with them.

"Delhi government is responsible for the crisis. It has not allocated adequate funds to the three municipal corporations. They are not bothered about the problem being faced by the people," Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said.
Slamming the municipal corporations, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia asked where the money released by the Delhi government has gone and alleged a "salary scam" in the BJP-ruled civic bodies.
"There is a salary scam and that is why they are not being able to pay the dues," he told a press conference.
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"Cleaning of Delhi is the most important thing for us and keeping this in mind, PWD has started removing heaps of garbage in different areas since morning. 91 PWD vehicles are lifting waste across the capital. Around 10 labours have been deployed in each vehicle.

"We have also informed the police about our cleanness drive and asked them to provide security to PWD staff in case anyone obstructs the drive. Court recently directed police in this regard," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
The decision was taken at a meeting on the garbage problem chaired by Sisodia.
He said government will continue with drive till the strike of sanitation workers ends.
"In the budget, we had set aside money to be given to all three municipal corporations in which there were different components under plan and non-plan heads. Money for salary of employees for 12 months were also mentioned under both heads," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also wondered why MCDs were not seeking Rs 16,00 crore owed to them by the Delhi Development Authority.
"I want to challenge MCD to make their all expenditures public so that people will get to know what they have done with funds collected from different sources," he said.
A senior government official said that PWD Minister Satyendar Jain has formed task force in every district to clear out the garbage.
Cabinet ministers and AAP MLAs may also join the cleanliness drive from tomorrow in their respective constituencies.
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Services were affected in seven major hospitals as well as polyclinics and dispensaries run by the civic bodies as the associations of senior doctors, resident doctors, nurses, para medical staff and other hospital staff joined the strike.

"We are referring stable patients to other hospitals due to the strike. The OPD services have also been stopped due to the strike by doctors, nurses, para medical staff and other hospital employees," said Dr R R Gautam, president of Municipal Corporation Doctors Association.
MCD-run Bara Hindu Rao Hospital is visited by around 10,000 patients every day, of whom around 1,500 are admitted. Although emergency services have not been disrupted but thousands of patients will suffer due to the strike, he said.
"All the employees of three municipal corporations, including sanitation staff, doctors, nurses, para medical staff, engineering department staff and teachers have gone on strike raising their demands for regular payment of salaries and arrears among others," said Rajesh Mishra, president of United Front of MCD Employees.

Nearly 12,000 Engineering department staff including 1,500 engineers working with three municipal corporations have also joined the strike bringing to halt various works like removing debris and repair of roads, said Mishra, who is also president of the Forum of MCD Engineers.
The agitating sanitation workers staged a protest in front of the residences of Speaker of Delhi Assembly Ram Niwas Goel and Delhi Health and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain.
"Delhi government is deploying PWD staff to lift garbage while it has no money to pay the salaries of employees of corporations. How will it pay to those lifting garbage now," said Sanjay Gehlot, president of Swatantra Mazdoor Vikas Sanyukt Morcha.

The general secretary of United Front of MCD Employees and leader of sanitation workers Rajendra Mewati said that protests were held across the city in all the 272 wards of municipal corporations.
As per municipal corporation officials, a total of around 7,200-7,400 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the areas under the three civic bodies.
"The situation is worsening in North and East Delhi which are worst hit by the strike. Although areas where private parties have been assigned garbage collection are relatively clean," said a senior municipal corporation officer.
The strike was launched by sanitation workers on January 27, demanding timely salaries and payment of arrears.