Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Saturday hit out at the Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party, alleging that the city’s ruling party leaders have turned this water crisis into an opportunity for blaming neighbouring states, with an aim of gaining political mileage.
The L-G office in a statement on Saturday said: “The shrill discourse of the Ministers of the GNCTD over the last few weeks, has been distressing and questionable at various levels. Drinking water supply has become a challenge in the national capital in the backdrop of a searing heat wave, which has gripped northern India. Political leaders of Delhi have turned a crisis into an opportunity for blaming neighbouring states, with the sole aim of gaining political mileage.”
The L-G has claimed that the criticism by the Delhi government leaders has only ended up compounding the problems of the residents of the city and antagonizing the neighbouring states, who are themselves grappling with water scarcity.
The note further reads that the national capital is dependent on drinking water supply from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, and the inter- state water sharing arrangements are settled through institutional mechanisms created by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, upheld time and again by the highest court of the land.
The states are obliged to release water as per agreements signed under this framework, and at the same time, the city government is under an obligation to ensure that this water resource is used efficiently to ensure equitable supplies across the city.
However, the L-G has alleged that unfortunately, neither has the city government demonstrated seriousness in ensuring improvement in water networks and augmentation of capacity, nor has it chosen a path of dialogue.
The L-G has said that several times he had highlighted before the CM that governance should be conducted in a harmonious environment, and with a spirit of conciliation and accommodation.
An approach of habitual antagonism towards the Central Government and other state governments is counterproductive. It can only take one so far and the biggest sufferer in this game is none but the ordinary resident of Delhi, the L-G added.
“I gave an honest suggestion to the CM that he needs to have a fresh look at his advisors, who seem to be lacking in administrative acumen and professional competence. Sadly, he chose to ignore my suggestion,” the statement read.
The statement from Raj Niwas further said that Delhi is witnessing a travesty of governance, which is a mockery of the citizens.
The AAP government resorts to litigation against the constitutional head of GNCTD as well as the Central Government, other State Governments and even departments headed by its own Ministers, the note further reads.
The L-G has claimed that after remaining in power for 10 years, the AAP Government did not add a single litre to the water treatment capacity, which it had inherited from its predecessor government.
The supply and distribution network of pipelines are old and leaking, he further said, adding that DJB should have invested resources in repairs and replacement of old lines.
Saxena has said that in June last year, he had written to CM, highlighting the need for dredging of the pond area of Wazirabad Barrage, which has not been de- silted since 2013, he claimed, adding that the capacity of the pond has reduced by 94 per cent.
The L-G further claimed that a simple calculation reveals that during the last decade, owing to the siltation of the pond area, Delhi allows nearly 9,12,500 million gallons of water to just flow down the river.