New Delhi (Agency): As the national capital, Delhi, grapples with floods triggered by the overflowing Yamuna river, sources from Raj Niwas on Sunday pointed fingers at the city’s leadership. They alleged that the Apex Committee, responsible for flood control and readiness and led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had not convened a meeting in the past two years.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was quick to dismiss these allegations, insisting that a meeting to address flood preparedness was conducted on May 9, overseen by Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Additionally, the AAP government stated that a flood control order was put into effect following standard procedures.
However, sources from Raj Niwas dubbed the flood order released by the Delhi government as “half-baked”. They revealed that despite the Revenue Department’s push to schedule the Apex Committee’s obligatory meeting in June-end, Kejriwal allegedly disregarded the proposition. “Last year also, Kejriwal did not allow this meeting to take place,” an informant from Raj Niwas disclosed.
The high-level committee, led by the Delhi CM, consists of government ministers, Delhi MPs, four AAP MLAs, the Chief Secretary, and representatives from key stakeholders like the Delhi Development Authority, the Indian Army’s General Officer Commanding, and a member of the Central Water Commission (CWC). This committee traditionally convenes towards the end of June, right before the monsoon season, to assess the imminent situation and issue an annual “Flood Control Order”.
Raj Niwas sources divulged that the Divisional Commissioner, also the committee’s convener, had formally requested CM Kejriwal on June 21 to recommend an appropriate date and time for the Apex Committee’s mandatory end-June meeting. Yet, the proposed file was reportedly returned on June 26, with a note suggesting that the Revenue Minister Atishi should arrange the meeting.
They also claimed that a meeting took place on July 6, “after which a perfunctory half-baked flood control order was issued without taking the main stakeholders into confidence.” This meeting, chaired by Atishi, lacked the presence of crucial stakeholders, including the Chief Secretary, Police Commissioner, MCD Commissioner, CEO of Delhi Jal Board, and representatives from the CWC. According to sources, this was because Atishi “did not ask” for their attendance.
Refuting the accusations, the AAP government stated that it had been consistently overseeing flood and waterlogging issues since May. “On May 9, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and PWD Minister Atishi co-chaired a meeting where all departments were present, and preparations for floods and waterlogging were reviewed,” the government shared in an official statement. Moreover, they asserted that the Chief Minister had been personally tracking the situation, and the ‘Flood Control Order’ was issued per the usual process, taking into account Delhi’s historical data.