With monsoon virtually at its doorstep, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta alleged on Tuesday, the Delhi government had completed desilting of just 27% of drains on over a thousand stretches according to figures compiled by the Public Works Department (PWD).
Questioning whether it had a “magic wand” to achieve 100% desilting by June 30, as claimed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Mr. Gupta said there were 209 out of a total number of 1,034 roads where none of the drains had been desilted.
Jain’s assurance
In reply to a question by him on March 27, Mr. Gupta said in a statement, PWD Minister Satyender Jain had assured the House that desilting will be completed by June 15 well before the onset of the monsoon this year.
Mr. Jain’s statement, he said, was followed by his assurance to the House, in response to Mr. Gupta’s question on June 8, 2018, that 20 to 50% of the required desilting had been completed and the work, in its entirety, would be finished by June 30.
“It is a sad commentary on the working of the Delhi government that 73% desilting remains to be done by its own admission. There are 209 roads where none of the drains have been desilted. It is unfortunate that in its fight against the bureaucracy, the government forgot that its inaction will drown the city and cause heavy misery to the Aam Aadmi,” Mr. Gupta alleged.
Referring to statistics compiled by the PWD in this regard, Mr. Gupta alleged that progress as low as up to 25% had been made on 419 out of 1,034 roads or in regard to 40.5% of the work.
“What is further shocking is that none of the 54 roads under the North Road Division, 106 in the West Road I Division and 49 roads in the SRDP Road Division have been desilted,” he alleged.
