Kejriwal not happy with PWD Principal Secy’s work
Miffed with the work of Public Works Department (PWD) in desilting drains and road development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he will get the alleged irregularities probed. Kejriwal also expressed his displeasure with Ashwini Kumar, principal secretary of PWD, for the sloppy work in desilting drains before the monsoon.
Sources in the Government said that irregularities have been noticed in road and sewer development works by the PWD. “Pl send all docs. I will immediately get them investigated,” he tweeted, reacting to a report on the news channel.
According to the report based on Right to Information (RTI) responses, the department has paid a large sum of money to contractors for development and repair work,which they never undertook.
Earlier in a letter, Kejriwal had said that he had given specific instructions that the PWD Secretary should himself visit important drains to ensure their desilting ahead of the monsoon, but he “openly and brazenly violated” directions.
The Delhi Chief Minister also said that the PWD Secretary “refused” to step out of his air-conditioned office even when the health of the “entire population was at stake.”
“The Chief Secretary should initiate proceedings for dereliction of duty against him. He should also personally ensure that the PWD Secretary visits all drains listed by East and North Delhi Mayors by this Sunday (June 18) and ensure their desilting. Visits by juniors will not be accepted,” he said.
Kejriwal’s letter comes close on the heels of the PWD slapping “penal rent” of around Rs 28 lakh on the AAP for the “unauthorised ccupation” of a bungalow in Rouse Avenue here.
Meanwhile, responding to the Chief Minister’s letter to the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary PWD said he would submit a report to the Chief Minister on the ground realities with regard to the drainage system.
“Whatever work is being done is being continuously assessed... There is no scope for indulging in blame game with regard to monsoon preparedness,” he said.
Satyendar Jain, who is under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged money laundering, holds the PWD portfolio in the Kejriwal-led AAP Government.
The Anti-Corruption Branch had last month registered three separate FIRs in the alleged PWD scam, including one against the company of Kejriwal’s deceased relative Surender Kumar Bansal.
The FIRs were registered on the basis of a complaint by an organisation called Roads Anti-Corruption Organisation (RACO), which has alleged irregularities in the grant of contracts for roads and sewer lines in Delhi in 2015-16.