Assembly to re-convene on January 5, focus on pollution, CAG reports
Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra on Tuesday said the Delhi Legislative Assembly will re-convene on January 5, with the four-day session focusing on the pollution crisis in the national Capital and scrutiny of three CAG reports — one each on corruption in Sheeshmahal, the functioning of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and Delhi government-run universities.
“Pollution will be discussed in the Assembly. Its causes, solutions and the present situation will be examined in detail,” Mishra said while addressing a press conference alongwith cabinet minister Ashish Sood. The Art, Culture and Tourism minister said the Government would place before the House a detailed account of the current pollution situation in the Capital, the reasons behind it, and the steps taken so far to control it.
A comprehensive review of pollution-related developments over the past 20 years will also be presented. We will discuss what the previous Government had done to curb the pollution.
Further, we will also discuss the affidavits which were submitted in the Supreme Court and what their current status is in regards to mitigate pollution, he said. Mishra also accused AAP of continuously spreading lies, fake narratives, and propaganda.
Mishra also sought the opposition’s feedback on battling the city's air pollution. The minister also said that the recent suspension of a registrar and tehsildar by the Delhi Government reaffirms its stance of zero tolerance for corruption. The minister urged the Opposition to come prepared for the debate. “I request the Opposition to bring reports of the work they did to control pollution during their tenure,” he said. Mishra said the Assembly would examine the root causes of the perennial problem of pollution and assess past measures.
Mishra further stated that the Government will table three CAG reports — one each on corruption in Sheeshmahal, the functioning of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and Delhi government-run universities in the upcoming winter session.
The term Sheeshmahal was coined by the BJP to point out the alleged opulence of the 6, Flagstaff Road residence of the former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Initially approved at Rs 7.61 crore in 2020, the project saw its costs spiral to Rs 33.66 crore by April 2022 - a 342% increase over the original estimate. The report underscores a lack of transparency in awarding consultancy contracts and selecting contractors. It points out that spot quotations from three consultants were finalised within a day, with no documentation explaining the selection process.
Additionally, the preliminary estimates prepared by consultants lacked clarity and underwent multiple revisions during the project, leading to inflated costs and a 36 per cent increase in the built-up area. There is a very detailed report on the functioning of DJB till the year 2022, it has all the details of all the irregularities which caused the sewage system of the city to collapse, Mishra said.
The CAG report on the irregularities in the functioning of universities governed by the Delhi Government will be tabled, and all the corruption which occurred in the functioning of universities till 2023 will be exposed in the upcoming session, he added.
