Amid Deaths, AAP, Lieutenant Governor Spar Over Report To Desilt Delhi Drains

A 'comprehensive plan to desilt drains' in Delhi has become the focus of a bitter spat between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the centre's rep in the national capital.

Earlier today, sources told news agency PTI that the report, which includes a proposal for a unified authority to desilt and manage 18 main drains emptying into the Yamuna River, has been pending with Saurabh Bhardwaj, Delhi's Flood Control Minister, since August last year.

Mr Bhardwaj, however, has rejected the claim.

In a post on X he said, "The LG's office claims the decision is awaited as file is 'pending with Minister'... they should know it was approved long back", and provided an order reference number.

"...this will be implemented post-monsoons. Right now, respective agencies have to take care of desilting their drains," he also said, launching a counter-attack.

Specifically, Mr Bhardwaj has alleged a "conspiracy" against the people of Delhi.

He told reporters that Mr Saxena - who has a fractious relationship with the AAP - had failed to act after corruption charges against government officials tasked with managing city rainwater drains.

He claimed the work of removing silt from drains and sewers - if clogged, they push rainwater and sewage back onto city streets, leading to massive floods - was improperly done by officers from various departments, including the Municipal Corporation that is managed by the Aam Aadmi Party.

In a series of posts on X, Mr Bhardwaj said he had first flagged this issue on February.

"I issued first notice to convene a meeting of all senior officials, including the MCD Commissioner, over de-silting. I directed all departments to have a comprehensive strategy regarding de-silting to avoid waterlogging," he told the press, stating senior IAS officers were called but did not attend."

"Only executive engineers of departments were present. Since departments were not represented... the Chairman, that is me, expressed displeasure over the same. This is also mentioned..."

Lamenting the lack of seriousness, Mr Bhardwaj also posted screenshots of documents from his desk.

One was dated May 20 - a request to desilt drains. The second was on June 5 - a follow-up to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar who, he said, "did not send desilting report even after 15 days".

Mr Bhardwaj has alleged that on June 6, he received an "absurd" reply from Mr Kumar.

Another screenshot was the list of officials to whom the de-silting report was copied.

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

"...copy of the order was sent to your Principal Secretary. Still your office gave wrong news to the media. You should take action against Ashish Kundra (the official)," he declared.

Mr Saxena's office has not responded to the volley of documents from Mr Bhardwaj.

The death of four students amid 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 spawned an entirely predictable political squabble Monday, with political parties taking pot shots at each other.

Political Blame Game Between AAP, BJP

Part of that squabble played out in Parliament, where the AAP was attacked by rivals BJP and even had allies Congress, Samajwadi Party, and CPIM (all four are members of the INDIA bloc) asking tough questions about the condition of Delhi's drainage system and desilting measures.

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In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had some sharp words for the AAP government.

There is "rampant violation of basic norms" in the national capital, he said.

The BJP has launched a protest of its own. Delhi Police had to use water cannons to disperse agitators - and the party's Delhi unit boss, Virendra Sachdeva - camped near the AAP office.

How Delhi Coaching Centre Put Lives In Danger

Inquiries so far have suggest multiple lapses by owners and civic authorities.

READ | Month Before Basement Deaths, Student's SOS Flagged Huge Risk

The coaching centre got a No-Objection Certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in August 2021. The certificate, seen by NDTV, says the basement is to be used for parking and storage.

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

READ | Delhi Coaching Centre Loses Fire Safety Nod After Basement Tragedy

This document, also accessed by NDTV, claims the building has complied with existing fire safety regulations, and stresses the basement should be used in accordance with building bye-laws.

Both NoCs have now been revoked.

Also, this morning a Junior Engineer with the MCD was sacked and a senior employee suspended. Both worked with the maintenance department for the Karol Bagh Zone.

Seven people, including the owner of the building, have been arrested and face charges that include culpable homicide.

"A Living Hell"

Meanwhile, "living a life of hell..." was the plaintive cry of a student who has written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud to demand action against city officials and others responsible for the deaths.

The Chief Justice has not yet decided if the letter will be viewed as a petition.

READ | "A Living Hell": Delhi Student To CJI On Coaching Centre Deaths

The student - Avinash Dubey - flagged poor infrastructure in areas like Rajendra Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar, residents of which often battle floods caused by drainage issues and "negligence" by the Municipal Corporation, and asked for protection of students' fundamental rights.

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