NEW DELHI: A fresh tussle appears to be brewing between the AAP government and bureaucracy as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday recommended to the Lieutenant Governor the immediate suspension of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee chairman Ashwani Kumar for “arbitrarily halting” the operation of a large smog tower installed at Connaught Place two years ago to check pollution.
Sources said the file recommending the suspension of Kumar, a senior IAS officer and principal secretary (home) in the Delhi government, has been sent to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
In its observations, the Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up Ashwani Kumar for shutting down the smog towers. “The Supreme Court has called the situation “ludicrous” and has directed the DPCC chairman to be present before it. The court further directed operationalizing the tower immediately,” said a source.
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai last week said a study to find the reasons behind Delhi’s polluted air was stalled allegedly because Kumar first questioned the project cost and then the findings of the study. The minister on Saturday wrote to CM Kejriwal asking for the suspension of and disciplinary action against Kumar for “not reopening the smog tower after the monsoon months”.
Rai’s letter noted that the SC had directed the government to set up a smog tower, and this was done at Connaught Place. While the smog tower is closed in the monsoon months to prevent damage to equipment, DPCC chairman Kumar “has prevented the resumption of the smog tower after the monsoon was over, in blatant violation of the court orders,” the letter stated.
Action after SC poser
An SC bench on Tuesday asked the DPCC chairman to remain present before it on the next date of hearing. It said the smog tower should be put into operation. Soon, CM wrote to L-G seeking his suspension