New Delhi: Water Minister Atishi on Monday sent Delhi Jal Board-related complaints from 42 MLAs to the chief secretary and instructed him to resolve all the issues by March 15, officials said.
Taking note of Atishi’s direction, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar later directed the Delhi Jal Board CEO to submit a cumulative detailed action taken report on the matter to him by March 13 (Wednesday).
Earlier in the day, Atishi directed Kumar to prepare a detailed report on all the complaints by March 14 (Thursday) and present it before the Assembly session on March 15 (Friday).
“There has been alarming complaints of sewage overflow, contaminated water and pipeline leaks across Delhi. Around 42 MLAs have submitted grievances to the assembly speaker,” she said in a statement.
She added that the complaints are so grave that on March 9, the Assembly speaker had to cancel a scheduled discussion under Rule 280 and discussed matters pertaining to the Delhi Jal Board instead.
“Ultimatum of one week has been issued by the water minister to the chief secretary for resolving all Delhi Jal Board-related issues,” the statement said. It added that Atishi has also asked the chief secretary to submit progress reports on the complaints’ resolution by 6 pm daily.
“Chief secretary to ensure his presence in the Assembly session on March 15,” Atishi said. On March 8, Atishi had sent 80 complaints on sewage overflow, contaminated water and pipeline leaks to the chief secretary.
Later, in a note issued to the Delhi Jal Board CEO, Kumar directed that a report be provided on the grievances raised by the 42 MLAs.
Kumar said daily action taken reports must be submitted on the 42 MLAs’ grievances received from the Delhi Assembly speaker by 5.30 pm every day so that those can be submitted to the water minister.
He also directed that a cumulative action taken report be provided latest by Wednesday on the grievances so that it can be sent to Atishi by Thursday.