Apart from numerous administrative hurdles, trifurcation of the MCD has restricted the representation of the three municipal corporations in DDA, Delhi Jal Board and the Delhi University. Even as its going be one year of the trifurcation, no member from the corporations has been nominated to these bodies since November 2011.
Delay in amendment of the DDA and Jal Board Act has stalled the process of their nomination. Amendment in the Acts is mandatory for accommodating members of the three corporations instead of the erstwhile MCD.
As per the provisions, two members from the erstwhile MCD were nominated to DDA and Delhi Jal Board each. However, the lieutenant Governor of Delhi has approved nomination of one member each to these bodies and the final clearance is awaited.
Sources said the matter is pending before the Union Urban Development Ministry. However, the Delhi Government has approved nomination of members in the Delhi Jal Board recently. Members of the ruling BJP in the three Corporations alleged that the matter was deliberately being delayed which not only caused lack of coordination between multiple agencies but also hampered the decision making process. “We had been constantly raising our voice against the arbitrary decisions at DDA till 2011. But since then we do not have a representation in DDA. The UD Ministry can pass special notification for accommodating the councillors in DDA but no decision has been taken so far,” said Rajesh Gehlot, Chairman of the Standing Committee in SDMC.
Similarly, BJP councillor in North Delhi Municipal Corporation Vijay Prakash Pandey, who represented the civic body in DJB, said non-representation of the municipal corporations in these bodies created confusion and lack of coordination among various agencies. “No member from the municipal bodies is there in DDA and DJB since November 2011. Though the Municipal Commissioner is a member to these bodies, the representation of the elected representatives is a must,” Pandey said.
As per DDA Act of 1957, two councillors were appointed as members in DDA Board, but after trifurcation of MCD, the amendment in DDA Act became imminent. The seats of councillors in governing bodies of Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Public library and Delhi University are also lying vacant. In DDA, five public representatives - three MlAs, and two councillors are included in the board as members. Presently, three MlAs, Harshvardhan, Subhash Chopra and Naseeb Singh, are in the board of DDA while the term of two councillors Rajesh Gehlot and Sudesh Kumar Bhasin ended in March.