NEW DELHI: Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday discussed a range of issues, including water scarcity and imparting skill training to workers of the unorganised sector here, an official statement said.
At their weekly meeting held at Raj Niwas, the LG and the CM discussed the "prevalent and recurring issue of water scarcity" in Delhi and stressed on a sustainable way forward that entails making the city self-sufficient in meeting its water requirements, it said.
"The Lt Governor assured the CM that he would take up the issue with and at all appropriate levels to address it in the interim," the statement said.
Earlier this month, Kejriwal had said he will meet the new LG every Friday for "better coordination" and to effectively address issues concerning the capital.
It was decided that a meeting of all departments concerned will be held in presence of the LG and the CM on June 14 wherein the officers will be asked to present concrete plans detailing the number of sink holes that they would put in place before June 30 for absorbing rain water and prevent waterlogging, apart from recharging the water table, the statement said.
The LG also discussed the idea of planting suitable bamboo varieties on the peripheries of Delhi and sandalwood trees on government land meant for plantation.
He underlined that while the sandal trees over a period of time would develop into monetisable asset for the government, the bamboo would ensure containment of dust pollution that flows in from the waste apart from enriching oxygen levels, the statement said.
Saxena also brought up the issue of skill training and distribution of enabling toolkits to 75,000 unskilled and semi-skilled workers in the unorganized sectors like pottery, carpentry, shoe-making and blacksmithery among others to bring the most marginalised into the main stream of development, it said.
It was agreed by the LG and the CM to immediately start work for the identification of individual and group beneficiaries for the roll out of this program, the statement said.
The LG also invoked training and distribution of machinery for making cow dung logs, cotton wicks, diyas etc. from cow dung. The LG underlined that the cow dung logs could be used as an alternative to wood for cremation purposes.
"Upon the Lt. Governor informing that Gobar was being successfully used for the production of paint, emulsion and distemper, the CM said a team of officials would visit Jaipur to see and learn the processes to replicate the same in Delhi as well as in Punjab," the statement said.
According to the statement, "corruption and harassment" in delivery of public services like issuance of certificates, property registration among others and the remedial measures thereof was also discussed.
The LG also flagged the issue of non off-take of additional ration under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana in the city and requested the chief minister to get the matter looked into, the statement said.
The LG and CM also discussed about upgrading infrastructural support and public amenities at cremation grounds and graveyards and decided to take immediate steps to ensure betterment, it said.
Discussions were also held about the preparations and roll out of the special cleanliness and sanitation drive that they will jointly launch and monitor, the statement said.