Expressing its interest in learning from Gujarat model of development, the Delhi Government has sent three teams of its officials to Gujarat to address the issues of power, Yamuna cleaning and public safety in the national Capital. The officials will study the State’s solar model of power and the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project to see if they can be replicated in the national Capital.
“Gujarat has done pioneering work in solar power generation while the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in Gujarat has taken up the Sabarmati Riverfront Project, which is an environmental improvement, social upliftment and urban rejuvenation project. Therefore, two separate teams have been sent to Gujarat to study solar power projects and restoration of Sabarmati River and to see the possibility of taking up such power projects in Delhi,” said a Delhi Government Press statement. According to officials, lack of sufficient number of sewage treatment plants (STPs) has led to increase in the pollution level in the river. Twenty two drains fall into the Yamuna out of which, 18 drains fall directly into river and four through Agra and Gurgaon canal. More than Rs6,500 crore has been spent to clean the Yamuna in the last two decades but all efforts have failed to yield results.
Further, a third team comprising senior Delhi Police Official has been sent to Surat in Gujarat to study the CCTV-based city surveillance system with public cooperation. The system has been helpful in prevention and detection of crime, Government officials said. The members of the team include Special Commissioner of Police (Operations), Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Communication).
In a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung had apprised him of major problems facing the city including power and water shortage along with political situation in Delhi. The team comprises a number of top officials including Power Secretary, Secretary in the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Environment Secretary and representatives of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission. Representatives of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Management Centre, Delhi Transco and private discoms will also be part of the team.
Guj model to nurse Delhi through growth spurt
Former Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to implement Gujarat model of development in Delhi. The decision of installation of CCTV cameras in public places, setting up of solar energy plants and cleaning of Yamuna River on the lines of Sabarmati River in Gujarat will benefit the people of Delhi. He lamented that these core issues had been put on the back burner by the previous Government. However, these issues were taken up in a recent meeting of Delhi’s lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung with the Prime Minister.
Gupta said the work on making Delhi power surplus and cleaning of Yamuna could not start during the last 15 years but the BJP-led Government in Centre began the work within five days of coming to power. “If solar power is developed earnestly as an alternative source of power, electricity can be made available at affordable rates,” Gupta said, while applauding the lt Governor’s decision to send officials on a study tour of Gujarat to learn best practices in innovative, technology driven and people-friendly methods of governance.
The BJP leader emphasised on improving traffic, transport and health infrastructure in the Capital saying these issues concerned common men the most.