Civic bodies had failed; we're cleaning up Delhi: Sisodia

The Delhi government said on Saturday it has formed a PWD taskforce as part of special arrangements for picking up garbage that has been piling up across the city because of a strike by the employees of three civic bodies.

"The PWD (public works department) has deployed 93 vehicles to clean garbage dumps. We have informed the Delhi Police as to which areas these vehicles will be operating in," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said here.

He said the Delhi High Court had directed the police to provide security and extra labourers had been deployed with the trucks.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had failed in their duties, but the Delhi government was cleaning up the capital, Sisodia said.

"Hopefully by tomorrow the situation will be under control," he added.

Sisodia reiterated the charge made earlier by his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that there was a massive "salary scam" going in three municipal bodies that make up the MCD.

"We had given money for the salary of the employees for 12 months, where did that money go? We think there is a big scam in the municipal corporations," he said.

Meanwhile, PWD Minister Satyendra Jain said: "DDA, which comes under the administration of Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, owes Rs.1,600 crore to the three municipal corporations. The BJP leaders (mayors) can go with folded hands to union minister Venkaih Naidu and the LG and request them to pay this amount."

"I request them not to throw garbage as that is not the right way to protest," he added.

On Thursday, the striking municipal workers dumped garbage and shouted slogans outside Sisodia's office as a way to protest against non-payment of their salaries.

Over 1.5 lakh employees of the municipal bodies went on a strike on Wednesday over non-payment of their salaries.

Taking note of the situation, the Delhi high court has sought the response of the Delhi government, the three municipal bodies, and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) by February 2.