In AAP-BJP tussle for power, capital stinks

NEW DELHI: The ongoing tussle between BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has left the capital stinking. Garbage in east Delhi's dhalaos has started spilling onto roads after sanitation workers went on a strike for the second time this year to protest against non-payment of salaries.
The corporations, which are facing a major financial crunch, have blamed the city government, saying it is politicizing the issue by not clearing their dues.The three corporations have passed a resolution to move court in this regard. The Delhi government, which has released the first quarter's dues from the fixed allocation, says that the corporations need to manage their finances in a better way.
"We have released the funds for this quarter, which is till June. If the corporations are not able to give salaries then it means they have not utilized the funds judiciously. The government has also asked them to give documents of their last year's transactions which they haven't submitted," said Nitin Tyagi, AAP MLA from Patparganj.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has called the safai karamcharis for a meeting on Monday but that has had little effect on them. For the third consecutive day on Saturday, the sanitation staff did not report to work and also scattered the garbage on the roads, which led to jams and a major stink in the affected areas.
After the release of funds by the government for the first quarter earlier this year, East and North corporations paid salaries till April but are yet to release salaries for May. South Corporation is in a better financial state. Sources say the only way the situation can improve is if the state government waives off a cumulative loan of around Rs 1,800 crore taken by the East and North corporations from the Delhi government when Sheila Dikshit was the chief minister.
The funds released by the government till now are part of a fixed allocation. The corporations are, however, also demanding their 5.5% share of global taxes. Government sources say that 4% of this share, including direction and indirect taxes in the form of property transaction and vehicle registration etc, has been adjusted against the loan while the remaining 1.5% is an incentive for municipal reform, which the government believes that the corporations are not entitled to as they have failed to do anything.
Ravinder Gupta, mayor of North Corporation, said: "The Delhi government has to allocate more than Rs 1,000 crore to us. I have written to the CM for sanction of at least Rs 500 crore so that we can give salaries".
Dilip Parcha, a 40-year-old municipal worker who has been with East Corporation for 20 years now, said: "I have to pay my children's school fee… I have to feed my family. The corporation has money to construct buildings but not to give our salaries".