NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday continued his critique of the Delhi government’s failure to provide basic civic amenities to residents, reiterating his concerns during a visit to Kalandar colony in northeast Delhi’s Shahadra. He described the living conditions there as “worse than hell.”
“It is impossible to describe in words the plight of the people living amid blocked drains, heaps of garbage, stench, and potholes passing for roads. Local residents have informed me that approximately 35 to 40 thousand people are forced to endure brutish conditions in nearly 4,000 houses,” he said.
Saxena emphasised that the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is responsible for providing basic amenities in the slum area, while cleanliness falls under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
This visit followed a similar inspection by the L-G in Sangam Vihar the day prior, which drew criticism from the CM, accusing the L-G of acting as an opposition figure.
Responding to Kejriwal’s comments, Saxena asserted, “As the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, it is my constitutional duty and responsibility to bring the issues of the people before the Chief Minister and draw your attention towards the problems faced by the people of Delhi. This is nothing new. Since the first day of taking office, I have walked over 1,600 km in various areas of Delhi in 650 days to assess the situation and have always kept you informed about the issues. I have been doing this for the past two and a half years and will continue to do so in the future.”
In a separate development, the L-G once again highlighted the poor living conditions in Delhi localities, prompting accusations from the AAP government of playing politics over the issue. This time, he flagged the conditions in a colony in Shahdara, north-east Delhi, just a day after drawing attention to similar problems elsewhere in the capital.
The government, in a statement, requested Saxena to take action against the erring officers. “It is unfortunate that L-G is playing dirty politics with the problems of the common people. When he raised certain issues about Sangam Vihar, Burari and Kirari, CM in good faith directed CS to solve the problems within a week.
“He also urged L-G to take strictest action against delinquent officers because their vigilance and disciplinary matters are within the jurisdiction of L-G, however, he has not taken any action against guilty officers,” the statement read.
L-G is playing dirty politics, says govt
The government requested the L-G to take action against the erring officers. “It is unfortunate that L-G is playing dirty politics with the problems of the common people. When he raised certain issues, the CM in good faith directed CS to solve the problems within a week,” it said.