BJP Slams Delhi Govt Over Landfill Crisis, AAP Counters 'Reduced Size Of Garbage Sites To Half Despite...'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also accused the AAP of backtracking on its earlier promise to flatten the garbage mountains by January 2024.

AAP blamed BJP for the landfill crisis in Delhi, saying the garbage sites were created due to mismanagement and corruption under the BJP's rule in MCD.

Source : PTI

The Delhi BJP on Saturday slammed the AAP dispensation in MCD, claiming it had submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the three major landfill sites in Delhi would be cleared by 2028 but work is not progressing in this direction.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also accused the AAP of backtracking on its earlier promise to flatten the garbage mountains by January 2024.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, dismissed the allegations saying it was mismanagement and corruption under the BJP's rule in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) that led to creation of the garbage sites.

The party also claimed that it had reduced the size of the landfill sites by half within one-and-a-half years of coming to power in the MCD.

At a press conference, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva claimed the AAP had promised to clear the Ghazipur, Okhla, and Bhalswa landfill sites by early 2024 but took a "U-turn" on its election pledge.

He also pointed out that the AAP's tenure in the MCD ends in 2027, raising concerns that the new 2028 deadline goes beyond its term in office.

"In November 2022, AAP won the MCD elections. Before coming to power, it promised to clear the landfill sites by January 2024. However, they have now submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating the work will only be completed by 2028," Sachdeva said.

Sachdeva further accused the party of using the landfill crisis as an electoral issue to gain power in the MCD but failing to deliver on its promises even after nearly 22 months in office.

"The AAP promised the people that the landfill sites would be cleared by 2024, but 22 months have passed, and nothing has been done. Now, they claim the work will be completed by 2028, conveniently after their tenure ends in 2027. This is a clear attempt to deceive the people of Delhi," the BJP leader added.

Referring to former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "betrayer", Sachdeva said the BJP, during its tenure in the MCD, had initiated the work of clearing the landfill sites, with specific deadlines for the Okhla site set for 2024 and 2026 for others.

"Thirty per cent of the work at the Okhla landfill was already completed. But it's shameful that the man who calls himself the 'son of Delhi' has gone back on his promise," he said.

Raja Iqbal, Leader of Opposition in the MCD, also addressed the media, accusing the AAP of failing to deliver basic civic services in key areas such as sanitation, education, and healthcare.

"The AAP has failed on all fronts -- cleaning, education, and healthcare. Kejriwal and his party have a habit of taking U-turns. With the pace they're working at, they won't be able to clear the landfill sites even by 2030. Every day, 4,000 metric tonnes of garbage are being piled up," Iqbal said.

Responding to the allegations, the AAP said the garbage sites were created due to mismanagement and corruption under the BJP's rule in MCD.

"Despite the constant roadblocks created in the functioning of the elected government, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had reduced the (size of) landfill sites by half within 1.5 years of coming to power in the MCD," the party said in a statement released later in the day.

"In contrast, 15 years of BJP's misrule and mismanagement in the MCD had not only earned it the moniker of the 'most corrupt department', but had also led to mountains of garbage at the entrance of Delhi which shall soon disappear under the AAP-led MCD," it added. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)