Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena during a visit to the coaching centre where three students drowned in the basement.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
New Delhi
Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has not approved for months now a file regarding a comprehensive plan for the desilting of drains in the national capital, according to sources in Raj Niwas.
The Minister junked the charge, saying the file was approved long ago and an order in this regard was issued on April 24 this year.
He also accused the Lieutenant-Governor’s office of “protecting corrupt officers” responsible for the desilting of drains in the Capital.
A source in the L-G office said Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar had called a meeting of all Delhi government departments to discuss a comprehensive plan for the management of drains in the Capital on June 23 last year.
The source said the plan was sent to the Minister for approval on August 21 last year but the file regarding it was returned to the Principal Secretary (Irrigation and Flood Control), seeking a presentation and a meeting with all stakeholders.
He said the file was again sent to the Minister on April 8 this year and it is yet to be approved.
In response, Mr. Bhardwaj said the filed approved long ago was about 22 drains opening into the Yamuna and it had nothing to do with the waterlogging problem.
“I feel pity on the L-G office. They have been narrating frivolous and unrelated stories to protect the officers whose corruption in the desilting work has been exposed. This shows the desperation of the L-G office to find a scapegoat for their wrongdoings,” the Delhi Minister said.
₹10 lakh compensation
Meanwhile, L-G V.K. Saxena announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the kin of the three students who drowned in an inundated basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar here.
He also met Civil Services aspirants protesting near Karol Bagh metro station. The students claimed that the number of deaths was much higher, which was not being disclosed by officials.
The L-G said a joint task force of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Fire Services will undertake a survey of all buildings in the area within two weeks and all structures flouting building by-laws will be sealed.
‘DM report yet to come’
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Atishi said Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar is yet to submit to her a report of the magisterial inquiry ordered by her into the coaching centre incident. “This raises very serious questions. Either officers are not serious about enquiring into this tragedy or they are trying to protect someone. The fact that the main accused runs an IAS coaching centre, one wonders whether he is well connected with the IAS fraternity,” she said in a communication to Mr. Kumar. However, a source in the Revenue Department said Ms. Atishi was informed that the area District Magistrate has sought seven more days to “conduct a proper inquiry”.