Manoj Tiwari asks LG to probe 'scam' in desilting of drains

Amid the Delhi High Court's criticism over poor desilting of PWD drains in the Capital, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Thursday urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to order a high-level probe into a "drain desilting scam" under the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi Government.

Tiwari said that a delegation of Delhi BJP will soon meet the LG to apprise him of a major scam in the desilting work of drains under PWD with full knowledge and connivance of the concerned Minister Satyendar Jain.

"We feel that like the road beautification projects, there is a possibility that in desilting work too bogus work bills are being passed," Tiwari said.

Tiwari said there are over 1,010 major drains under PWD, but till date hardly 85 have been fully desilted, while there are reports of over 250 drains of not even being touched and only around 700 have been ceremonially cleaned.

Contrary to this, the Delhi BJP chief said, the three cash-strapped municipal corporations have tried to work beyond their targets. "All three civic bodies have worked on almost all small 680 drains under them and their silt removal work exceeds the set targets," he said.

Tiwari stated that the LG should order a probe right away to assess the scam in desilting work as the situation of drains has not improved. He added that if a probe is ordered after monsoon, the PWD minister Jain will give "100 odd excuses to cover up his corruption."

The Delhi High Court, on Wednesday, had said that the Delhi government is being "cruel to the citizens" due to its "sheer inefficiency and negligence" as debris were not being cleared from a South Delhi drain, the Delhi High Court said on Wednesday. It also chastising the Public Works Department.