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Amid Deaths, AAP, Lieutenant Governor Spar Over Report To Desilt Delhi Drains
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AAP and Lieutenant Governor at Odds Over Delhi Drain Desilting Amid Rising Deaths

Pehal News Team
New Delhi:

An ‘extensive strategy to clear drains’ in Delhi has sparked a heated argument between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the central government’s representative in the national capital.

Today, sources informed news agency PTI that the report, which contains a suggestion for a unified authority to clear and oversee 18 primary drains flowing into the Yamuna River, has been pending with Saurabh Bhardwaj, Delhi’s Flood Control Minister, since August last year.

Mr Bhardwaj, however, has refuted the allegation.

In a post on X he stated, “The LG’s office asserts the decision is pending as the file is with the Minister… they must be aware that it was approved a long time ago”, and presented an order reference number.

“…this will be put into action after the monsoon season. Currently, the respective agencies are responsible for clearing their drains,” he also mentioned, launching a counter-attack.

Specifically, Mr Bhardwaj has accused a “plot” against the people of Delhi.

He informed journalists that Mr Saxena – who has a strained relationship with the AAP – had not taken action after allegations of corruption against government officials assigned to manage city rainwater drains.

He alleged that the task of clearing silt from drains and sewers – if blocked, they force rainwater and sewage back onto city streets, causing significant floods – was improperly carried out by officials from various departments, including the Municipal Corporation under the administration of the Aam Aadmi Party.

In a series of posts on X, Mr Bhardwaj mentioned that he had first highlighted this issue in February.

“I issued the initial notice to convene a meeting of all senior officials, including the MCD Commissioner, regarding desilting. I instructed all departments to formulate a comprehensive plan for desilting to prevent waterlogging,” he informed the press, stating that senior IAS officers were summoned but did not attend.”

“Only executive engineers from departments were present. Since departments were not represented… the Chairman, that is me, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. This is also documented…”

Expressing disappointment with the lack of seriousness, Mr Bhardwaj also shared screenshots of papers from his desk.

One was dated May 20 – a request to clear drains. The second was on June 5 – a follow-up to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar who, he mentioned, “failed to submit a desilting report even after 15 days”.

Mr Bhardwaj claimed that on June 6, he received an “illogical” response from Mr Kumar.

Another screenshot displayed the list of officials to whom the desilting report was distributed.

The names on the list included the Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor.

“…a copy of the order was sent to your Principal Secretary. Yet, your office provided incorrect information to the media. You should take action against Ashish Kundra (the official),” he declared.

Mr Saxena’s office has not reacted to the series of documents from Mr Bhardwaj.

The tragic deaths of four students in floods last week – three drowned in the basement of a tuition centre in Rajendra Nagar area, while the fourth was electrocuted in Patel Nagar – has triggered a predictable political dispute on Monday, with political parties taking digs at each other.

Political Accusations Between AAP, BJP

Part of that dispute unfolded in Parliament, where the AAP was criticized by opponents BJP and even received challenging questions from allies Congress, Samajwadi Party, and CPIM (all four are members of the INDIA bloc) regarding the state of Delhi’s drainage system and desilting efforts.

In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had some scathing remarks for the AAP government.

There is “widespread violation of fundamental standards” in the national capital, he remarked.

The BJP has initiated its own protests. Delhi Police had to resort to water cannons to disperse protestors – and the head of the party’s Delhi unit, Virendra Sachdeva – set up camp near the AAP office.

How Delhi Coaching Centre Endangered Lives

Investigations so far have revealed multiple oversights by owners and civic authorities.

The coaching centre also obtained a similar certificate from the fire department this month.

Both NoCs have now been rescinded.

Additionally, this morning a Junior Engineer with the MCD was dismissed and a senior employee suspended. Both were employed in the maintenance department for the Karol Bagh Zone.

Seven individuals, including the building owner, have been arrested and face charges including culpable homicide.

“A Living Nightmare”

Meanwhile, “living a life of hell…” was the plea of a student who has written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud demanding action against city officials and others responsible for the deaths.

The Chief Justice has yet to decide whether the letter will be treated as a petition.

The student – Avinash Dubey – highlighted poor infrastructure in areas like Rajendra Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar, where residents often grapple with floods caused by drainage issues and “negligence” by the Municipal Corporation, and requested the protection of students’ basic rights.

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