New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday criticised the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for not addressing the “miserable hygiene and sanitary conditions” that he had flagged at the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant almost two months ago.
Reacting to it, the Delhi government alleged that the L-G was trying to divert attention from the illegal sand mining in Haryana and the dumping of industrial waste in the Yamuna river in the neighbouring state.
Delhi gets around 40 per cent raw water from the Yamuna through Haryana and the rest from the Ganga from Uttar Pradesh and Bhakra Nangal from Punjab. The Wazirabad Barrage on the Yamuna in north Delhi is the primary holding area where raw water is lifted for the Wazirabad and Chandrawal treatment plants.
According to a note issued by the L-G Office, the DJB submitted a report to the chief secretary on April 6 without addressing the issue of water quality being supplied from the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants. It said the utility did not submit a plan for the desilting of the pondage area supplying raw water to these treatment plants, nor did it detail any action it intends to take against erring officials.
“The shortcomings and directions mentioned in my note have not been addressed in true letter and spirit. Despite my clear direction to expedite de-silting/cleaning of the pondage area at the Wazirabad Barrage, the timelines drawn not only reflect lack of urgency, it also does not fix accountability upon those concerned,” the note quoted the L-G as saying.
In a fresh note to the chief secretary, the L-G said, “It is again emphasised that providing potable drinking water of adequate standard to the citizens of Delhi is the foremost responsibility of the DJB, which should never be compromised. Any dereliction in this regard should be immediately identified and exemplary action initiated against the erring officers/officials.”
“However, from the conclusions, suggestions and actions proposed in the instant report, it is discerned that my concerns have not received the expected response. The reasoning adduced in respect of the grave lapses observed during my inspection are unacceptable,” he said.
Lt Governor Saxena said “major” penalty proceedings are required to be initiated against all the officers named in the report submitted by the DJB.
Responding to the L-G, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The L-G has no role in drinking water supply as it is a state subject and he is misusing the authority by writing such letters and demotivating officers who are working tirelessly for the department under given constraints.”
Furthermore, he said that the DJB has not even received complete funds allocated by the government for 2021-22 due to never ending R&D being done by Principal Secretary finance from September 2022 at the cost of public service.
“This conduct has been brought to the knowledge of L-G by Legislative Assembly Committees, senior officials of the department in meetings as well through public forums. It is hard to believe how Principal Secretary Finance is sitting over the budget which is duly approved by Cabinet and Legislative Assembly for welfare schemes of Delhi government,” Bhardwaj said.
His statement further said the DJB has prepared a detailed scheme for in situ treatment of polluted water at Wazirabad Pond which is regularly discharged by Haryana. Similarly, other schemes prepared for Yamuna Cleaning are stuck due to intentional delay by the Finance Secretary in releasing funds to DJB.