Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Wednesday directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to personally monitor the redress of all water and sewage-related grievances with the departments and officers concerned. Kumar has also been directed to coordinate with the Delhi Jal Board and the Urban Development and the Finance departments to ensure that water and sewerage systems keep functioning optimally.

Atishi said in an official order that many grievances regarding sewer overflow, water contamination, water pipeline leakage and water shortage are repeatedly coming from various parts of Delhi.  Such grievances have repeatedly been raised by MLAs in the assembly, Atishi said in the order and added that water and sewer management are critical civic utilities that cannot be put on hold because the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections has been imposed, it said.

“Therefore, to ensure that water and sewer systems keep functioning optimally, the chief secretary shall be responsible for overseeing the functioning of water supply, sewerage systems and ensuring the redressal of any grievances regarding the same,” the order stated.

All files on water and sewerage related issues that move among the Delhi Jal Board and the Urban Development and the Finance departments will be sent through the chief secretary so that he can personally monitor those, according to the order.  She also directed that Chief Secretary Kumar “shall personally monitor the redressal of all water and sewerage-related grievances with the concerned departments and officers”.

“The chief secretary shall ensure that an adequate number of water tankers are available for all parts of Delhi, as per the requirements of summer months, “ it said.