Petitions Committee pulls up officers of finance dept for hindrance in public welfare works of DJB

New Delhi: The Petitions Committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Tuesday pulled up officers of the Finance Department for causing hindrance in public welfare works of Delhi Jal Board.

It was noted that the work has been largely stalled due to constant obstructions by the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department. The Petitions Committee had summoned officials of the Delhi Jal Board and Finance Department regarding DJB works that have been stopped for several months.

Committee Chairman MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi stated that gross insensitivity of officers has shelved many works in Delhi over the last 6 months.

A petition had been filed before the Petitions Committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly regarding works in the Delhi Jal Board being stalled for a period of six months. The Committee summoned senior officials of Delhi Jal Board and Finance Department in the Delhi Assembly Tuesday. The Petition Committee heard the entire matter in the presence of the Committee Chairman Akhilesh Pati Tripathi and other members. Commenting on this, Akhilesh Pati Tripathi said that the government officers had become very insensitive towards the people of the city that the work of the department had been stalled for six months and yet there was no remorse on their part.

Delhi Jal Board Vice-Chairman Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "The Petition Committee of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha today held a meeting regarding the obstruction in the developmental works of the Delhi Jal Board. The Committee had been informed that over the last six months due to issues related to funds, several important works particularly those related to laying of sewer lines and water lines had been stopped. Several contractors had left their projects in between and the roads had not been relayed. The work regarding the Summer Action Plan for the next year had also been left incomplete – the DJB had earlier made estimates on the number of tube wells to be added and other related works. Senior officials of the Delhi Jal Board and the Principal Secretary (Finance) Ashish Chandra Verma were also asked to attend this meeting and they were asked why the development works of the department had been facing a problem. The officials of the DJB informed

the Committee that the work had been stopped due to issues of funding from the Finance Department. The Finance Department had raised some objections and asked for certain documents that had historically never been asked before for these works."