Ex-Delhi urban shelter body CEO denies reasons cited by LG behind his transfer

NEW DELHI: Former CEO of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) K Mahesh on Wednesday refuted the reasons cited by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for his transfer, saying he should have been given an opportunity to explain obviating the need for action against him.

Mahesh was moved to Union Territory Civil Services as special director last week, after the LG on December 23 paid a surprise visit to the shelter homes at ISBT Kashmere Gate and found lack of accommodation and toilet facilities there.

Refuting the LG's statement that 5,000 homeless people were inhabited in the Yamuna Pushta area against the total capacity of 600 at the night shelters at the sites, Mahesh claimed that the shelter homes in the area could collectively accommodate a total of 2,115 people (1,865 in the regular night shelters and for 250 people in the Pagoda tents) on December 23, the day Saxena paid a surprise visit to the sites.

"It is clarified that there are 19 regular shelter homes at Pushta area near the ISBT with a capacity to accommodate 1,865 people in a stretch of about 1 km to 1.5 km. On the day of LG's inspection, there were eight pagoda tents and one big hanger at seven locations with a total capacity of 250 people, as an additional measure during this winter. Thus, the total capacity of all these shelter homes was for 2,115 people," he claimed.

The LG had also said "consistent dereliction of duties" by Mahesh had resulted in delay of a nursery project by three months.

Writing to the Chief Secretary, Mahesh claimed that it is the responsibility of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and not DUSIB to develop a nursery.

He said shifting of toilet blocks was delayed not due to DUSIB, but due to "inaction" by the DDA.

"The task of providing adequate temporary toilet facilities at Jailorwala Bagh, adjacent to the DDA land where a nursery is being developed, was not assigned in June, 2022. Secondly, the responsibility of developing the nursery was of DDA and not DUSIB. Thirdly, the shifting of toilet blocks was delayed not due to DUSIB but due to inaction by DDA, as they could not provide the alternate land sites for shifting of existing toilets," Mahesh wrote.

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On December 23, Saxena had paid a surprise visit to 'Rain Baseras' (night shelters) at the ISBT and the adjacent Hanuman Mandir area and took stock of the arrangements and amenities at these shelters.

He had claimed that there was lack of sanitation and toilets in the shelter homes,"forcing people to defecate in open".

The LG had further said there was lack of cleanliness at the shelter homes at the ISBT and the adjacent Hanuman Mandir area due to disposal of paper, plastic plates and cups in the open.