Mayor asks LG to order inquiry in vandalism in MCD office

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) Delhi Mayor Arti Mehra today urged Delhi Lt Governor Tejender Khanna to direct Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadhwal to order an investigation into yesterday vandalism by unidentified assailants at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Central Zone at Lajpat Nagar and other offices in the premises.

Talking to reporters here, Ms Mehra expressed deep concern at the way an important government office situated in the heart of the city was vandalised by gun-totting assailants.

''They broke the iron almirahs with rods and ransacked a number of rooms, destroying vital records and documents. When the Security Guard and Belder tried to stop the assailants, they were beatenup and locked, highlighting the impunity with which the vandalism was carried out for nearly two hours,''the Mayor said and urged that the culprits be immediately brought to book so that such incidents were not repeated in future at any Government office.

The Mayor also directed the MCD Commissioner to institute a vigilance inquiry into the incident and submit a report within a week. She further directed the Commissioner to review the security arrangements and take both short-term and long-term security measures in consultation with the Chief Vigilance Officer who is a senior Delhi Police Officer on deputation with the MCD.

She emphasised the need for developing a foolproof security system at MCD offices, particularly at the Town Hall and the Zonal offices. She said round the clock security should be ensured in co-ordination with local Police.

She also underlined the need for installing close circuit cameras at strategic locations in MCD offices.

Ms Mehra further directed the Commissioner to takeup the work of digitalization of MCD records so that they were preserved forever beyond any apprehension of theft or destruction.

She said that since the MCD Headquarter and other offices would shortly be moving to the Civic Centre, the digitalization of records had becoming imperative.

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