NEW DELHI: A fresh conflict between Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena and the city government unfolded on Monday after the former accused the ruling AAP of neglecting the city’s infrastructure and the latter reminded the L-G that his primary responsibility was to maintain law and order.
The war of words came after Saxena inspected slum areas including Rangpuri in South Delhi. The L-G expressed dismay over the “dire state” of civic amenities and the “lack of proper infrastructure and basic facilities”
“Last evening, during an inspection and visit to South Delhi’s Rangpuri, Aya Nagar and Jaunapur area at the repeated requests of local residents, the appalling example of the Delhi government’s inaction and mismanagement once again came to the fore.
A mesh of dangerously hanging power cables, women with plastic pipes in their hands for getting drinking water, open manholes, piles of garbage and sewage overflowing on the streets narrated the miserable living conditions in the area, which is unforgivable,” Saxena said.
“Lakhs of people living in these areas are deprived of even basic amenities. There are encroachments and heaps of garbage in the narrow lanes, potholes are filled with drain and sewer water and the mesh of plastic pipes is haphazardly scattered on the streets. Ironically facilities like sewage, drinking water and roads do not exist in this part of the national capital today,” he added.
The L-G office said waterlogging in a densely populated area like Rangpuri had forced people to live amid stench and diseases. DJB is yet to lay permanent water lines and the roads are in a bad shape, it added.
“The utter mismanagement that was seen here was almost similar to those seen during my earlier visits to North-East Delhi and North-West Delhi. Due to the government’s neglect for 10 years, a large population of Delhi is forced to live hellish life. Had the government worked sincerely for even two years, out of these 10 years, there would not have been such misery,” the statement from L-G office read.
Saxena said he had urged former CM Kejriwal to address grievances, but he didn’t take cognisance. “I again draw the attention of the incumbent Hon’ble Chief Minister to this and request her to focus at least now on governance,” he urged.
Hitting back, AAP asked Saxena “to stop posing for photographs at ongoing project sites”, and said his primary responsibility in Delhi was to maintain law and order.