Following the tragic incident at an IAS coaching institute, Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party member Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday claimed that a significant conspiracy has been orchestrated against the people of Delhi.
He alleged that despite presenting evidence and filing complaints about corruption in desilting work, no actions were taken by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena against the involved officers.
Bharadwaj emphasised that the task of cleaning drains and sewers in Delhi was not properly executed due to the negligence of officers from various departments, including the Public Works Department (PWD), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. He highlighted that the Delhi government lacks the authority to transfer or take action against these officers, as only LG Saxena holds that power.
Sharing a video of a meeting held on June 28 regarding de-silting, Bharadwaj pointed out the presence of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, PWD Principal Secretary and CEO DJB Anbarasu, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, ACS IFC Naveen Chaudhary, and Additional Chief Secretary Manish Gupta.
The AAP ministers Atishi and Gopal Rai also attended the meeting. In the video, Bharadwaj presented photos and videos from different areas showing incomplete desilting work and inquired about the status of the third-party audit from the department officers.
Bharadwaj stated, “All photos and videos of drains were taken around June 23 to 25, before the monsoon started in Delhi.” He claimed that large-scale de-silting was carried out only on paper, implying widespread corruption.
The minister questioned the status of the third-party audit and directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct a third-party audit of the de-silting claims by agencies like PWD and MCD. He asked for a list of drains that had supposedly been de-silted but showed no actual work done.
In a video shared on X, Bharadwaj criticised LG Saxena, stating, “Everyone is saying that the work of removing silt from drains and sewers in Delhi was not done properly. Due to this, there was waterlogging in the entire Delhi, leading to several deaths from electric shocks. Despite the negligence of the coaching institute, a big conspiracy has been hatched against the people of Delhi. The government cannot transfer or take action against these officers; only LG Sahab can do so.”
Bharadwaj continued, “A minister provided evidence and complained about corruption in de-silting, but PWD Secretary Anbarasu IAS did not take any action for a year. Even the Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar IAS, who is the Chief Vigilance Officer, did not act. The meeting was conducted on June 28, 2024. It is up to LG sir to take action.”
Meanwhile, the tragic incident in Old Rajinder Nagar resulted in the deaths of three students due to flooding in a coaching centre. The Delhi Police arrested two individuals, the owner and coordinator of the IAS coaching centre, in connection with the deaths.
The victims have been identified as Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nivin Dalwin from Ernakulam, Kerala. This Central Delhi incident occurred just days after another UPSC aspirant was electrocuted on a waterlogged street in the national capital.
These incidents highlight the severe consequences of administrative negligence and corruption, raising urgent calls for accountability and corrective measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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