Flood aid latest flashpoint between Delhi govt, bureaucracy

Revenue minister Atishi has criticized chief secretary Naresh Kumar for a delay in providing compensation to flood victims in Delhi.

Revenue minister Atishi has pulled up chief secretary Naresh Kumar over a delay in processing the compensation to flood victims, according to documents seen by HT. She also flagged “laxity of officers during times of emergency”.

Atishi, in a letter to the chief secretary, said that only 197 of the 4,716 people identified were given ₹10,000, as announced by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal 10 days ago. (HT Photo)

Atishi, in a letter to the chief secretary, said that only 197 of the 4,716 people identified were given ₹10,000, as announced by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal 10 days ago.

The minister flagged that around 70 senior government officers were engaged in rehabilitation and relief work, but they have been unable to provide compensation to the 5,000-odd people in 10 days. The minister asked the chief secretary to submit a status report to her and the CM by 6pm on Monday.

“Yesterday evening, I reviewed the status of the ex-gratin relief of ₹10,000 to be given to flood-affected citizens of Delhi, with the principal secretary of revenue, Ashwini Kumar, and the concerned officers of the revenue department. I was shocked to find that, out of 4716 families who were staying in relief camps during the flood, only 197 families have received the ₹10,000 ex gratia relief of the Delhi government,” Atishi said.

The minister flagged that the low ex-gratia disbursal happened despite around 70 officers being engaged in relief and rehabilitation work.

“On 15th July, you ordered that senior IAS and DANICS officers shall monitor and assist the District Administration for rescue, relief and rehabilitation works, for the flood situation in Delhi. 19 IAS and 18 DANICS officers have been deputed in 6 flood affected Districts. It has been 10 days since the Cabinet took the decision to give 10,000 relief to families affected by floods. But in 10 days, 19 IAS and 18 DANICS officers-along with 6 DMs, 6ADMs and 18 SDMs-have not been able to process this relief package for a mere 4716 families. Given the number of officers deployed for flood relief and rehabilitation, each of these officers had to process the relief for 70 families. This means they had to provide relief to 7 families per day. And that too has not been done,” the minister wrote in the letter.

She said the officials were incharge of important positions and the laxity was shocking. “Such laxity is absolutely shocking. All the officers deployed by you are holding crucial positions in important departments like Health, Education, Finance, PWD, Tourism, etc. If they are showing such laxity in times of emergency and disaster, I am deeply concerned what they would be doing in the day-to-day tasks of their departments,” the minister said.

HT reached out to chief secretary Naresh Kumar who did not respond to queries seeking comments.