Arvind Kejriwal attacks BJP over garbage mess in Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused BJP Councillors of siphoning off funds meant for municipal employees in the capital.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused BJP councillors of siphoning off funds meant for municipal employees in the capital.

Garbage lying on Vikas Marg as East Delhi MCD workers are on strike. Sanitation workers of the EDMC, went on a strike last week over non-payment of salaries. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

“BJP playing dirty politics with Delhi. Their Councillors siphoned funds meant for salaries of MCD employees and then throw garbage on Delhi’s roads,” the Aam Aadmi Party leader tweeted.

Kejriwal’s allegation came amid a strike by employees of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) which has led to pile up of garbage all across the area.

Garbage littered on the Vikas Marg as the East Delhi MCD workers are on strike, January 8, 2017. (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

The Kejriwal-led Delhi government on the weekend transferred Rs 119 crore into the bank account of EDMC.

All the three wings of the Delhi municipal corporation are controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Delhi government also released a statement stating it had released Rs 609 crore in fiscal 2016-17 for municipal employees and Rs 702 crore in 2015-16.

In contrast, earlier, when the AAP did not control Delhi, the amount allotted was much less, it said: Rs 441 crore in 2014-15, Rs 416 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 399 crore in 2012-13.