In a scathing attack on Delhi government over city’s water woes and flooding during rains, BJP state unit president Virendra Sachdeva alleged on Monday that no one else, but AAP dispensation’s incompetence is responsible for both the scarcity of potable water and the waterlogging  during downpour in the city.

 Delhi came to a grinding halt on Friday following the heaviest spell of downpour in the city in nearly 88 years.

Sachdeva said that the national capital has 287 identified dangerous waterlogging spots, and on June 28, when the city witnessed heavy rainfall,  more than 250 of the said locations had non- functional pumps, he claimed.

Addressing a press conference here, Delhi BJP chief further stated that on June 28, out of 696 permanent water drainage pumps installed by the Public Works Department (PWD) in Delhi, over 400 were not operational. And as per information with the saffron party, more than 100 pumps were non- operational because they did not have diesel, he added.

Sharpening his attack on the ruling dispensation in Delhi, Sachdeva further said that in addition to the above mentioned pumps, 465 such pumps are installed in the city by the Delhi Jal Board, the Flood Department, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and claimed that  most of these are still not working.

Sachdeva, taking a dig at the Kejriwal government said ” what proves his claims is that when two days after the flooding, PWD Minister Atishi herself visited the pumping station at Minto Road Bridge, 3 out of 8 pumps were not operational”.

The BJP leader further alleged that pumps at the  Bharti Nagar Pumping Station, which is under the Public Works Department of the Delhi government, were found to be non- functional on June 28. The situation has not improved up to satisfactory levels, claimed the BJP leader.

Sachdeva said that every year during the monsoon, around 1,300 additional temporary water drainage pumps are rented and installed, but this year not a single one was in place. He added that now the Kejriwal government’s argument is that the necessary tender could not be issued due to the elections and code of conduct being in force.

“However, the truth is that the government, engrossed in securing the CM’s bail and fighting elections, did not pay attention to this essential task, ” Sachdeva claimed.

The BJP leader further accused the Delhi government of being intoxicated by power, and said that the task of renting such pumps was an annual public interest task, and claimed that if the government had written a letter to the Election Commission for the permission, it would have certainly been granted.

He further challenged Minister Atishi, and the DJB  to disclose as to  how many permanent and temporary water drainage pumps are needed during the monsoon and how many are currently operational.

The Delhi BJP chief further stated that the reported drowning of 11 people in the capital city is a matter of shame, and demanded that Delhi government provide Rs one crore in compensation to the bereaved families of the helpless individuals who lost their lives.

The Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should compensate for the damage caused to traders of wholesale markets in Old Delhi, as well as to ground floor and basement homes and offices throughout the city, he added.