With 60,000 MCD sanitation workers on strike over non-payment of salaries and arrears, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to direct Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to immediately clear its dues running into over Rs1,600 crores to the civic bodies facing financial constraints. The Property Tax dues owed by DDA was Rs765 crore to South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Rs590 crore to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Rs200 crore to East Delhi Municipal Corporation, he stated.
Mentioning financial constraints faced by the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi, Kejriwal said that activities of the civic bodies are “adversely affected” and the issue was also raised in a meeting called by Union Urban Development Minister on October 1.
In a letter written to the lieutenant Governor, Kejriwal has said “due to financial crunch the municipal corporations are unable to meet their core functions relating to handling and removal of garbage.”
“Often the municipal corporations delay paying monthly salaries to Safai Karmcharis (sanitation workers) which leads to threats of strikes by them,” he said. He said Delhi Government has made efforts to release funds and grants under Plan and Non-Plan heads to all the three municipal corporations in time.