Delhi Waterlogging Sparks Blame Game Between AAP and BJP

Heavy rainfall on Tuesday led to severe waterlogging in parts of Delhi, prompting the BJP to criticise the AAP government and its agencies. They accused them of turning the city into a slum. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responded by blaming bureaucrats for not following ministers' directions to provide desilting reports.

The AAP claimed that Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to submit desilting reports from various agencies before the monsoon. These agencies included the MCD, PWD, NDMC, DDA, and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. However, instead of providing the report, the Chief Secretary allegedly made excuses.

Blame Game Over Waterlogging

The AAP also criticised Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena for not taking action against officers who failed to ensure drains were cleaned. The party alleged that a note from the LG's office admitted that drains were not desilted. There was no response from the LG's office regarding these allegations.

The BJP highlighted that the failure of Arvind Kejriwal's government to address waterlogging would be a significant issue in upcoming elections. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the government and its 60 MLAs of failing to tackle waterlogging, turning the city into a slum cluster.

Sachdeva demanded that the government identify perennial waterlogging spots and deploy marshalls to prevent people from accessing these areas during rains. He stated that waterlogging and lack of clean drinking water during summer would be major issues in the next Assembly elections.

Accusations of Corruption

The AAP claimed large-scale corruption in desilting contracts, stating that despite issuing contracts, the work was not done. They urged the LG to suspend officers caught in corruption instead of writing letters. "Instead of writing letters, the LG should suspend officers because they have been caught red-handed in corruption," AAP said.

Sachdeva cited several areas affected by waterlogging, including Badarpur, ITO, Mundka, Chhatarpur, Sangam Vihar, Karkardooma, Vasant Kunj, and Najafgarh. He mentioned an autorickshaw driver narrowly escaping a fatal accident at Minto Bridge due to waterlogging and similar issues at Zakhira underpass.

Public Outcry

As residents headed to work this morning, they faced severe waterlogging which brought the city to a standstill until afternoon. Sachdeva claimed this was due to government negligence. "This is 100 per cent government negligence. The Delhi government is only interested in corruption and has no concern for the lives of the people," he said.

The BJP also demanded action against heads of departments like PWD Principal Secretary, MCD Commissioner, DDA Vice-Chairman, and NDMC chairperson for not ensuring desilting was done. "The question for the LG is why the LG has not taken any action against the heads of department like PWD Principal Secretary, MCD Commissioner, DDA Vice-Chairman and NDMC chairperson for not doing desilting," AAP said.

The ongoing blame game between political parties highlights significant governance issues affecting Delhi residents. The city's infrastructure struggles with heavy rainfall each year, leading to recurring problems like waterlogging.