Delhi’s Water Minister, Atishi, has sounded a warning about a looming water crisis in the capital, attributing the possible shortage to an alleged lack of funds hindering the payment of workers’ salaries. Atishi accused Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar of withholding necessary funds from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), heightening concerns about an impending scarcity of water resources in the city.
In her plea to Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena for intervention, Atishi highlighted the purported freeze on funds allocated to the Delhi Jal Board by the finance department. She specifically demanded the suspension of Finance Secretary Ashish Verma, alleging his non-cooperation in releasing crucial funds. The minister emphasized that despite her position as the territory’s finance minister, the finance department had ceased to allocate funds crucial for the DJB’s operations, which ensure water supply to Delhi’s residents.
Atishi accused Verma of halting all DJB funds since August, purportedly at the behest of the chief secretary, raising concerns about potential salary delays for DJB workers and a subsequent water crisis.
Expressing her concerns on social media, Atishi cautioned about the imminent water supply and sewer maintenance crisis in Delhi due to the lack of released funds to the Delhi Jal Board, urging LG VK Saxena’s immediate attention and intervention.
This recent confrontation follows Atishi’s submission of a probe report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging irregularities in land acquisition for the Dwarka expressway. The report, implicating Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in benefiting a company linked to his son with substantial “illicit profits,” prompted Atishi’s call for Kumar’s suspension and a CBI inquiry. Kumar has refuted these allegations.
However, the Lieutenant Governor, V K Saxena, declined to consider Atishi’s report, alleging a leak and an attempt to initiate a media trial. Saxena emphasized the sensitive nature of the vigilance-related report, expressing disappointment over its public circulation and media coverage.
This escalating conflict underscores the growing tension between Delhi’s Water Minister and the Chief Secretary, with allegations of financial obstruction leading to potential water scarcity in the nation’s capital.
Sources By Agencies
