By Newsgram Staff Writer

On Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit streets cleaning the garbage as a mark of protest over the on-going strike by safai karamcharis (cleanliness staff) who are resenting non-payment of salaries by BJP-controlled MCD.

"BJP-ruled municipal corporations have failed to pay salaries to safai karmcharis which has led to a strike by them. The irresponsible attitude of BJP-run municipal corporations has turned Delhi into a heap of garbage. The situation has worsened in the past couple of days but the BJP has turned a blind eye," said AAP in a statement.

AAP MLA from Karawal Nagar Kapil Mishra, along with Gokal Puri MLA Fateh Singh, Ghonda MLA Shridutt Sharma, Seemapuri MLA Rajendra Gautam, Rohtas Nagar MLA Sarita Singh and Seelampur MLA Haji Bhure carried out a cleanliness drive in Seemapuri area.

MLA Kapil Mishra said "It is also unfortunate that corporations' own direct source of income, that is property tax, is in miserable state. The collection of legitimate revenue is hampered due to corruption and inefficiency. They have also failed to systematically enhance their revenues."

The Karawal Nagar MLA said if Delhi is included in 'terms of reference' of Central Finance Commissions, then these Corporations of Delhi will get increased revenues.

"Similar revenue received by corporations of Haryana and Punjab (neighboring states) by virtue of being included in terms of reference of Central Finance Commissions is 600 crores approximately. Our advice to corporators will be: stop politicizing this issue and ask the central government which is run by its own party to remit this amount to Delhi," he added.

A similar exercise was also carried out in Mayur Vihar Phase 3 of East Delhi where party legislators Raju Dhingan (Trilokpuri), Manoj Kumar (Kondli), Nitin Tyagi (Laxmi Nagar) participated in the cleanliness drive.