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BJP demands meeting to discuss water-logging

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JULY 13. The Opposition BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has urged the Delhi Mayor, Ashok K. Jain, to convene a special meeting of the MCD House next week to discuss the issue of `unprecedented water-logging' in the Capital this past week.

The Leader of the Opposition in the MCD, Subhash Arya, said there was great resentment among the residents. "Such massive water-logging shows that the ruling Congress has failed in performing its duty. We demand that the Mayor should immediately convene a special meeting of the House on this issue,'' he said.

Mr. Arya also demanded compensation to the family members of those who died due to collapse of walls and buildings because of rain on Friday. "Compensation should also be paid for the damage to properties to hundreds of families in whose houses rain water entered after the heavy downpour. In Pandav Nagar, Patel Nagar and several other colonies, goods worth crores have been damaged as rain water entered dozens of shops,'' he said.

Arguing that crores were being spent on desilting of drains alone, his colleague and only member of the BJP in MCDs Standing Committee, Vijender Kumar, demanded a CBI inquiry into the entire episode. "It seems money has been spent only on papers,'' alleged Mr. Kumar.

Mr. Jain, on the other hand, categorically ruled out special meeting of the MCD House on this issue. "Only in the last House on July 7, we had a discussion on this very issue. Discussion went on for more than an hour and every one was given a chance to express their views. So there is no need to convene special House meeting,'' he said.

Conceding that the situation was not satisfactory on Friday, Mr. Jain expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the civic administration on Friday. "We had installed record number of pumps to drain out the stagnant water. Now there is no such case of waterlogging. It is also not correct to allege that there was no slackness in our preparedness. Such things are bound to happen in the case of heavy rain, which was experienced by Delhiites this week,'' he argued.

On the other hand, Mr. Arya alleged that the ruling Congress was afraid of having a discussion on this issue.'' Its leaders are very well aware that they have been completely exposed. They now do not want to face the public,'' he said, and warned his party would soon come out on the roads if the BJP's demand of special House next week was not met.

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