AAP alleges corruption in MCDs renting machines to clear landfill sites

Addressing a press conference AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled MCDs have paid a rent of Rs. 26 crores in the last 1.5 years for trommel machines, even though the same machines could have been bought for ₹4 crore.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged the cash-strapped municipal corporations were deliberately using trommel machines, used to clear landfill sites, on rent as it involves higher costs, instead of procuring which would have been cheaper.

AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj (ANI)

Addressing a press conference AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled MCDs have paid a rent of Rs. 26 crores in the last 1.5 years for trommel machines, even though the same machines could have been bought for ₹4 crore. The BJP, however, rejected the charge as baseless.

“Last year also, the chief auditor of the three MCDs found corruption of Rs. 22 crore with regard to use of such machines. Now, the BJP-ruled MCDs are planning a three times bigger loot by taking these machines on rent. The AAP will oppose the decision in the standing committee meeting tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Bhardwaj.

The AAP also called it a gross misuse of taxpayers’ money. The AAP called the move a gross misuse of taxpayers’ money. The Delhi government pays the most amount of money for the purpose of reducing the height of these landfill sites. The Delhi government gives ₹65 crore to the East MCD for this purpose, while the East MCD on its own contributes ₹40 crore. In the North MCD, the Delhi government gives ₹35 crore, while the North MCD gives ₹30 crore. The Delhi government gives ₹25 crore to the South MCD, civic body contributes ₹15 crore, the AAP said in a statement.

“The price of these trommel machines in the market, as stated in the audit report as well, is ₹17.70 lakh. But, the MCD has taken these machines on rent for ₹6.30 lakh per month. This means the contractors recover the cost of these machines in merely three months even as the MCDs continue to pay the high rent, which is more than the actual price of these machines. For the past 1.5 years, 23 such rented machines have been working on these garbage piles. So if we calculate the price of 23 trommel machines at the rate of Rs. 17.70 lakh per machine, these machines could have been bought for ₹4 crore. Interestingly, the MCD has spent ₹26 crore till now to pay the rent of these machines,” said Bhardwaj.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said this is the second time in a year that the AAP has tried to “mislead” people over the trommel machines issue.

“What the AAP calls rent for the machines is actually it’s operation cost. The North corporation did not hire trommel machines, and we have mentioned earlier as well that the civic body has taken trommel on maintenance contract,” said Kapoor. He added that according to the contract, trommel machines are run in three shifts with the supplier company bearing its expenses in staff, diesel and other maintenance.

South corporation mayor Mukesh Suryan said the AAP is just “spreading lies”. “First of all, the AAP leaders don’t know how the corporation functions. Secondly, what they said about giving us funds for buying the machines is totally false, as we haven’t got any money for the same.”

East Corporation mayor Shyam Sundar Agrawal said that the figures given by the AAP itself are not correct and even confusing. “I am ready to debate over the issue and prove them wrong,” said Agrawal.