Delhi govt, bureaucracy squabble over desilting issue

The war of words between the Delhi government and the bureaucracy has intensified with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking action against PWD Secretary Ashwani Kumar who in turn has hit back, saying "negativity and squabbling attitude" does not work in the challenging task of desilting of drains.

Kumar also asserted that there is no scope for indulging in blame game with regard to monsoon preparedness.

In his letter to Chief Secretary M M Kutty, Kejriwal said that he had given specific instructions that the PWD secretary should himself visit important drains to ensure their desilting ahead of monsoon, but he "openly and brazenly violates" his directions.

Kejriwal said the PWD secretary "refused" to step out of his air-conditioned office even when the health of the "population is at stake".