Garbage dumped on the street in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar
The sight of rotting garbage deliberately scattered on roads in Delhi, is being seen as a direct fallout of politics between the state's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP, which controls the civic body.
A group of AAP volunteers and a legislator were seen on Monday using brooms to sweep a road in east Delhi where a huge pile of trash has caused traffic jams.
But the vigorous sweeping in a tiny area, covered by TV cameras, was criticised by civic workers, who have been on a strike since Friday.
"They were hired labourers who were given AAP caps. If the ruling party does not listen to us, we will start throwing garbage at their MLAs' houses from tomorrow," said a protester.
Civic workers allege that they have not been paid for three months and to draw the attention of the authorities, they have dumped garbage on streets across the city.
"We need to be paid three month wages. We are hungry, we don't have anything to feed our children with, which is why we are here on the streets protesting," said one of the protesters.
They say they approached the new AAP government, but were reportedly told to go to the Centre's ruling BJP.
The workers allege that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suggested that the problem will end if the Centre hands over the reins of civic bodies to the Delhi government.
But in the tussle for control of the cash-strapped municipal bodies, the mess is piling up on roads, especially in east Delhi.
"We want the government to take notice and give us our due. If they pay us our wages, we are willing to return to work. We are being made victims of politics," said another protester.