Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s tête-à-tête with The Pioneer’s Chief Reporter Parvez Sultan, continued from Page 1
Q. Till today, some areas are more prone to water crisis, particularly in summer. Vasant Vihar and Vasant Kunj are examples, where every year locals and RWAs take to the streets to vent out their anger. Have you planned something to address the woes of localities which face perennial water crisisIJ
We have taken up three areas initially: Vasant Vihar, Mehrauli and Malviya Nagar where we are going to start 24-hour water supply. The programme should be ready in two-three years. If it succeeds, the experiment can be tried all over the city. More importantly, we must ensure public cooperation in creating awareness on water conservation.
Q. Why has rainwater harvesting not been successfulIJ
Yes, it is not a success. No one wants to do it. It is similar to problem of solar power. We know that we can switch on and get electricity, so, no one bothers to install solar panels. We tried to conserve 15-20 per cent power by painting rooftop white but people just didn’t do that too.
Q. You have announced ‘double-decker roads’ and other infrastructure upgrades. You need to have a lot of money for that, don’t youIJ
Yes, but then this is a necessity. We have got 47 flyovers and still there are traffic jams. Flyovers above flyovers are there in other countries. We have to do it. Barapullah is a great success and so is the Salimgarh bypass.
Q. What is the future of BRTsIJ Now, there is complete confusion on the corridor.
I am packing it up. BRTs will no longer be there. Dividers will be removed. It has not succeeded. People have not adapted to it, neither the bus drivers.
Q. You have been asking for complete Statehood. Do you think that is really the problemIJ Don’t you think it will only be shifting responsibility like law & order on the CapitalIJ What do you propose to do once police comes under the Delhi Government as the force will consist of the same personnelIJ
Various studies that were made for administrative reforms, be it Balakrishnan Committee, Virendra Prakash committee and the recent Moily Committee; all have said there is too many civic authorities in Delhi. Now, who is the elected face hereIJ It is ours. People come to me only; they don’t go to the lieutenant Governor, Home Minister, Urban Development Minister or Police Commissioner. I simply don’t know what the DDA is doing. When one builds a house, police troubles him. MCD people also harass them. Every time, I have to build a school, I have to go to DDA and MCD seeking permission. Even for Government projects I have to do all this. My submission is that if you have a single command system or set up a group to make it bona fide command system, it will be a coherent system. That is why I also favour setting up a Common Economic Zone (CEZ) for the National Capital Region (NCR). I am asking for total Statehood in this context, primarily to end the multiplicity of authorities.
Q. People are really agitated over the corruption charges against the Government. How do you plan to weed out corruptionIJ What is your stand, as an individual, or your party’s stand on Jan lokpal or lokpalIJ
lokpal has to be made by Parliament. We have a lokayukta. If somebody comes up and says that I am going to introduce the lokpal system, I will say that lokpal will be a wrong word.
It is often alleged that there is corruption. Please tell me a case. Apparently, corruption was there in CWG. Those who were booked for corruption were sent to jail. But no blame was put on us. CAG put some questions and so did the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Shunglu Committee. All have been answered. The word corruption is nowadays used loosely in a populist way!
Q. What about corruption in the bureaucracyIJ
All our legislative offices have now been computerised. We have got the system of e-SlA (e-Service level Agreement). If service is not done within the stipulated time period, you have to write a complaint for delay and action is promptly taken. The officer concerned is fined for it. There are over 50 services under SlA at present. We will do as many administrative reforms as we can in Delhi.
Q. Congress says by 2015, the country will be slum-free. What will be your plan to make Delhi a slum-free cityIJ
We have focussed on in-situ development. It means houses should be built for slum dwellers, where they are living at present. The problem is, if you send residents of a Karol Bagh slum to Bawana, people will be out of job and it will be even more difficult to find another job. For others, DDA and l&DO (land and Development Office) will also be requested to give their land for these people. It will be impractical to move them from their original habitat. We have also thought of Aashray homes for labourers who come from outside. The concept is already there in Malaysia. It will be a kind of hostel on rental basis.
Q. Do you think it is going to be a tough battle with Vijender Gupta and Arvind Kejriwal joining the fray for the New Delhi seatIJ
It looks like an easier battle than past occasions when Kirti Azad, Poonam Azad and Vijay Jolly were there. This time, the biggest advantage is that both are outsiders, one is from Ghaziabad and the other from Rohini.