The title Apex Committee headed by Kejriwal for flood control never met for the last 2 years: Delhi LG’s office
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): The Lieutenant Governor’s office in Delhi has alleged that the Apex Committee, headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, responsible for flood control and preparedness in the city, has not held any meetings for the past two years. This comes amidst flooding in low-lying areas of the national capital.
However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has refuted these claims, stating that a meeting was chaired by Minister Atishi on July 6 as the Revenue Minister.
According to a statement issued by the LG’s office, a compulsory meeting of the Apex Committee should have taken place by the end of June and issued a Flood Control Order.
The Apex Committee meeting ensures seamless coordination between various agencies, including GNCTD, GOI, Army, and Central Water Commission (CWC). A compulsory meeting of the Apex Committee should have taken place by the end of June and issued a Flood Control Order. The Flood Control Order was issued without the Apex Committee meeting and without preceding preparations, the statement read.
The LG’s office further stated that Kejriwal has no one to blame but himself for the flooding and the pathetic situation of the capital.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is making his ministers and AAP leaders do overtime in blaming everyone and everything under the sun for the flooding and the resultant pathetic situation of the National Capital, has no one to blame but himself. All statements being made by AAP Ministers and spokespersons are blatantly false, the statement said.
The statement also alleged that although a file was submitted to the CM to convene the mandatory meeting, Kejriwal chose not to even look at the critical file related to flood control.
On a file moved by the DM of East District, who is the nodal officer of this Apex Committee, on 19.06.23, the Divisional Commissioner – who is also the Convenor of the Committee – requested CM Kejriwal on 21.6.23 to suggest a suitable date and time for convening the mandatory meeting of the Apex Committee in the last week of June. The file was submitted to the CM through the Revenue Minister, Atishi Marlena. However, CM Arvind Kejriwal chose not to even look at this critical file related to flood control, leave apart from convening a meeting. His Additional Secretary, a relatively junior functionary, returned the file after 04 days, i.e. on 26.06.23, to Atishi with the noting that, ‘Hon’ble CM has desired that the Hon’ble Minister (Revenue) may convene the meeting’ of the Apex Committee, that is chaired by CM, the statement said.
The statement further claimed that when the DM office issued a notice to hold a ‘short meeting’, it was not taken into consideration, and Minister Atishi took a false sick leave.
The meeting chaired by Atishi did not have the presence of the Chief Secretary, Police Commissioner, MCD Commissioner, CEO DJB, and various other important stakeholders, leave apart the representatives from the CWC. This happened because Atishi DID NOT ask for them to be present in the meeting. Kejriwal or Atishi did not even bother to take their boisterous, more loyal than the king, Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in charge of I&FC and DJB, in confidence.
The DM office accordingly issued a notice on 27.06.23, for this ‘SHORT MEETING’ to be held on 30.06.23, but even this short meeting did not happen then. It did not happen because Minister Atishi was busy avoiding the oath of the new DERC Chairman and had taken a false sick leave. So, the DM office again issued a meeting notice on 05.07.23 for a ‘SHORT MEETING’ on 06.07.23, after which a perfunctory half-baked flood control order was issued without taking the main stakeholders into confidence, the statement stated.
The meeting of the Apex Committee was never held, according to the LG’s office.
The Meeting of the Apex Committee, chaired by Arvind Kejriwal, responsible for handling floods in NCT of Delhi, was NEVER held. And today, they are blaming everyone else, while the people of Delhi are forced to undergo misery because of their criminal inaction, it added.
