A week after she rapped its officials over sewage overflow, Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Wednesday directed Delhi Jal Board to send officials on ground regularly to take stock of the situation.
According to a notice she issued to the body, the DJB CEO has been directed to take at least two field visits every week and the chief engineers three field visits in the same period.
"All remaining junior engineers, additional engineers, additional chief engineers and superintending engineers have been directed to visit the ground on a daily basis," Atishi's notice to DJB CEO said. The minister said that the reports of the field visits have to be submitted to the CEO and the chairperson every Monday. "CEO DJB must ensure strict compliance of the directions issued. Non-compliance of any officer will be viewed adversely," she added.
The minister had on December 7 pulled up the Jal Board officials for the sewage overflow in Wazirpur JJ Colony, Shakti Nagar Extension, Ashok Vihar Phase III areas of north Delhi.
Atishi, in a statement, said that her office has been constantly receiving complaints regarding sewer overflow from different parts of the city. She personally visited several areas in Sultanpur Majra, Pocket A Mayur Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Chitla Gate, Nehru Hill along with concerned local arca officers and disappointed to say that the ground situation of these areas was not only dismal but inhuman.
"During my visit, I found dirty water from the sewer overflowing onto the roads. In most cases, people living in the vicinity informed me that they have been facing these issues for several months now. In some cases, the residents informed that the problem of sewer overflow has been so persistent that they have been forced to step on bricks to get out of their houses. The negligence of some DJB officers has created unhygienic conditions for people living in these areas. This is totally unacceptable," she said. "She was shocked to say that DJB officials, even senior officers, were unable to answer public queries," Atishi said.
