L-G Saxena grants MCD commissioner financial powers over solid waste projects

UD Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj delayed approving crucial files, hampering MCD services due to lack of financial sanction.

L-G VK Saxena 

NEW DELHI: In a move that is set to escalate the confrontation between the AAP-led government and Rajniwas, L-G VK Saxena on Monday granted financial powers enjoyed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s Standing Committee to the civic body’s commissioner by approving his authority to take financial decisions on the management of solid waste amounting to more than Rs 5 crore.

Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act that governs the MCD, proposals worth over Rs 5 crore have to be passed by the standing committee.

Rajniwas said the move would ease the existing problem of municipal solid waste in the city due to the non-existence of the standing committee.

“In a step that will help ease the existing problem of municipal solid waste in the city due to non-existence of a standing committee in MCD and intransigence of the UD Minister, Saurabh Bhardwaj, the L-G has approved the delegation of financial powers exceeding the current Rs 5 crore to the MCD commissioner,” a statement issued from the L-G House read.

“On July 10, the MCD had moved the GNCTD to delegate financial powers to the MCD as per the provisions of Section 202 of the DMC Act, 1957. However, the UD Minister, Saurabh Bhardwaj kept the file pending at his level, severely affecting municipal services due to lack of financial sanction since the Standing Committee was not in place,” it added.

“The L-G Secretariat has recalled the file on two occasions. However, the file was not yet sent by the minister and remains untraceable,” the statement said.

“Finally, contracts for collection and transportation of municipal solid waste and street sweeping were approved on Monday by the L-G by delegating financial powers upon the MCD commissioner,” the statement added.

It cited projects amounting to Rs 1,137.98 crore, rate contract for setting up of waste-to-energy facility at Narela, Bawana for Rs 604.26 crore, rate contract for bio-mining of legacy waste at Singhola amounting to Rs 46.17 crore and bio-mining of legacy waste at three dump sites at Okhla, Gazipur and Bhalswa.