Delhi Faces Water Crisis Due to Financial Issues at DJB, Says Atishi

Delhi Water Minister Atishi has accused the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) of creating an artificial financial crisis, turning the national capital into a "living hell." She wrote to the chief secretary regarding sewer overflow issues in various areas. There was no immediate response from the chief secretary's office.

Inspection and Complaints

Atishi personally inspected affected areas following numerous complaints. She visited Mohan Garden D Block, A-Extension Mohan Garden, and DK Road in Uttam Nagar after residents reported persistent sewer-related problems. "These localities have been turned into a living hell," she said.

The minister highlighted that local residents and area MLA Naresh Balyan had repeatedly sent grievances to the DJB. These complaints also reached her via emails and social media. Atishi noted that the state of sewer overflow was shocking and could lead to serious public health issues.

Financial Crisis and Responsibility

Atishi blamed the crisis on an artificial financial crunch created within the DJB. She stated that despite a large budget allocation, proper deployment of machinery and manpower was lacking. "This cannot be allowed to go on," she added, stressing that officers causing this crisis would be held accountable for any resulting public health emergency.

She directed the chief secretary to ensure adequate manpower and machinery deployment across the city to prevent sewer overflows. Atishi also demanded the release of funds allocated to the DJB within 48 hours and called for strict action against officers responsible for the financial crisis.

Reduction in Resources

Residents informed Atishi that they had never experienced such a crisis before. They were told by DJB field staff that there were not enough machines or staff for sewer maintenance due to budget constraints. The number of contractual labourers for sewer maintenance had dropped from 73 last year to just 18 this year.

Similarly, the number of sewer cleaning machines in Uttam Nagar constituency had reduced from 14 to seven. Atishi expressed disbelief at how sewer maintenance could be managed with such limited resources.

Budget Allocation Issues

Atishi pointed out that a budget of Rs 7,195 crore, which is 9.5 per cent of Delhi's total budget, had been approved for the DJB. However, only Rs 400 crores had been released so far this financial year. She stressed that the DJB is a critical civic utility and its failure could bring Delhi to a standstill.

Sources in the Chief Secretary's office claimed that while a meeting was ongoing under Atishi's leadership, her office issued a press release midway through it. This meeting included MLA Naresh Balyan, senior officers of the DJB, and other officials. The sources alleged that issuing a press release during the meeting indicated a focus on media publicity rather than resolving citizens' problems.

Atishi emphasised that it is now the chief secretary's responsibility to resolve this crisis promptly. She warned that failure to address these issues could lead to severe public health consequences for Delhi residents.

The non-availability of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in judicial custody, has worsened the situation for Delhi's citizens, according to sources in the Chief Secretary's office. They also mentioned that a detailed report on DJB's functioning was submitted by him to Atishi on March 15, containing several recommendations which have yet to receive any directives from her even after five months.

In conclusion, Atishi reiterated her call for immediate action to resolve the sewer overflow crisis and ensure proper utilisation of allocated funds for DJB operations.