Both BJP, AAP responsible for sanitation workers' strike: Cong

Delhi Congress today alleged that both the BJP and AAP government were equally responsible for the ongoing strike by EDMC sanitation workers, charging the latter with less allocation of funds which resulted in a shortfall of around Rs 1,600 crore to the civic body.
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said when the party was in power in Delhi, there was no crisis of payment of salaries and arrears to MCD employees, including the sanitation workers.
"The annual plan outlay of MCD during Congress regime saw a growth of 11 per cent in 2011-12 and 11.76 per cent in 2013-14.
"In the next three years, including the President's Rule and two years of AAP government, the plan outlay saw a shortfall of around Rs 1,600 which has led to the financial crisis at the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC)," Maken said in a press conference.

If the situation remained the same, party leader Rahul Gandhi may have to intervene like he had done earlier during a sanitation workers' strike in 2015. Gandhi had joined them and promised to help them whenever it was needed, he added.
He accused the AAP government of "stalling" funds of the financially ailing civic body by not implementing the recommendations of Fourth Delhi Finance Commission.

"The report of 4th DFC was placed in Delhi Assembly in December 2015. But it is yet to be implemented which will lead to funds worth Rs 725 crore to the EDMC. Although it has stalled implementation of 4th DFC, the AAP government in June last year announced formation of 5th DFC," he said.

Maken also blamed the Centre and BJP-ruled EDMC for the problems faced by the sanitation workers and alleged corruption in revenue generation by the civic body.
"The BJP led Centre and EDMC are equally responsible for the situation today. It was Arun Jaitley who slashed outlay of MCD substantially during 2014-15. Also, there is mismanagement in the civic body which is indulging in corruption in revenue generation and tax collection," he alleged.
He also challenged BJP and AAP to make amendments in MCD Act and unify the three municipal corporations if they believed that the trifurcation of erstwhile MCD was the main cause of financial problems faced by them.

"Their allegation that trifurcation of MCD during Congress government in 2012 is the cause of financial problems is merely an attempt to hide their own failures," he said.
He said a letter has been written by him to Lt Governor Anil Baijal for announcement of delimitation of municipal wards, adding that Congress was determined to go to court if it was delayed further.