AAP govt's special drive to clean the city a photo-op: BJP

New Delhi: Delhi BJP on Monday trashed AAP government's special drive to clean the national capital by employing PWD and DJB staff, saying the claims of lifting of garbage were unsubstantiated.

"AAP ministers, MLAs and leaders of the party have tried to mislead the people of Delhi through the photo-op on Sunday and claiming that 91 trucks were lifting garbage day and night to clean the city," Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said.

Alleging "corruption" in Delhi government's exercise to lift garbage, he claimed the strike-hit East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) lifted far more garbage than the staff deployed by the AAP government.

"While the 91 trucks deployed by Delhi government made 19 trips and managed to lift only 93 metric tonnes of garbage, the strike-hit EDMC and NDMC lifted 934 metric tonnes and 21 metric tonnes of garbage respectively in the last 24 hours.

"The 91 trucks making just 19 trips lifted 93 metric tonnes garbage. Where did the garbage vanish, how much diesel was consumed and how many labourers were paid. We think there is big corruption in it," he said.

EDMC mayor Harshdeep Malhotra said with half of the money spent on the one-day exercise, two months salaries of the striking civic body employees would have been paid.

"Delhi government is not paying us our dues of Rs 650 crore which could help in paying the employees on strike, but it is spending money on lifting garbage on its own." NDMC mayor Ravinder Gupta cited a letter of Municipal Commissioner saying Delhi government was "falsely" claiming that it has given non-plan funds for payment of 12 months salaries to the municipal corporation employees.

"In the letter written by the Commissioner P K Gupta, NDMC has asked Delhi government to release to us Rs 651 crore so that salaries and pensions could be paid," he said.

The mayors and Delhi BJP chief also urged the striking employees of municipal corporations to end their strike in the larger interest of people and added that they will continue with their efforts to meet their demands.