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LG blames lack of preparations for waterlogging in Delhi, AAP govt hits back
Lieutenant governor (LG) V K Saxena said nature does not issue warnings in advance as Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government blamed unprecedented rains for waterlogging
Lieutenant governor (LG) V K Saxena on Tuesday blamed the lack of preparations for the waterlogging in Delhi over the weekend as he took stock of the situation on Tuesday as the water levels in Yamuna rose above the danger mark. He said trouble due to waterlogging has now become an annual affair.
Saxena said nature does not issue warnings in advance as Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government blamed unprecedented rains for waterlogging. “...we must be prepared.”
Saxena, who has been at loggerheads with the government, said the sewage cleaning was not done as per requirement. He added drain water was not treated and harvested properly. “Due to all these things which have been not done for years, waterlogging occurs. Desilting of Yamuna should be done regularly to increase its water holding capacity.” He added the Najafgarh drain should have similarly been desilted properly to increase its holding capacity. “Due to the lack of such steps, parts of Delhi were inundated. I will try to see to it that attention is paid to all this so that people do not have to face it again.”
Urban development minister Saurabh Bhardwaj hit back, saying the LG was claiming he got all drains desilted and the Yamuna cleaned. “What happened now? Now he is shamelessly blaming the Delhi government?”
He asked Saxena to avoid playing dirty politics when people expect relief. “DJB [Delhi Jal Board] has been starved of funds by the LG for the last year. No action [was taken] against officers who created finance issues. The LG and central government have been constantly creating obstacles for the Delhi government. They refused to even obey Supreme Court orders. Please allow the government to function and stop dirty politics.”
Bharadwaj said Delhi received 153 mm of rain on Saturday but Saxena visited the affected areas three days later. “At a time when lives are being lost in Himachal and Uttarakhand and North India is facing a tragedy, should we help people or play dirty politics? It is not LG’s work to play politics. Earlier LG was trying to take credit for cleaning Yamuna. Constitution mandated LG to manage law and order and he should focus on that.”
