Following a fight with her neighbour over using a shared tap in the Farsh Bazar area, a woman was slain in the capital city of India. Delhi minister Atishi wrote to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday, pleading with him to suspend the CEO of Delhi Jal Board immediately.
Atishi, who also holds the water portfolio, urged Saxena to “institute an independent enquiry into the acts of omission and commission of Chief Secretary, as well as officers of Finance Department, Urban Development Department and DJB”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader claimed that the actions have “led to scarcity of funds allocated to DJB in the 2023-24 financial year and therefore “unable to execute essential works like installation of borewells”.
Atishi further asserted that there has been inaction to stop the water crisis in Delhi for the past year, despite explicit orders from the Delhi Chief Minister, who is presently being held in Tihar Jail in connection with an excise policy case, and from herself.
“For more than a year, Chief Minister had given clear directions and a road map for improving water supply in Delhi,” the letter stated.
“For the last six months, the undersigned gave repeated directions (enclosed) to the CEO of Delhi Jal Board and the Chief Secretary to ensure augmentation of water supply, so that there is no shortage of water when the onset of summer happens,” it added.
Hours after Delhi Police arrested a 15-year-old girl for reportedly fatally stabbing her 34-year-old neighbour after a fight over filling water from the common tap, Atishi wrote a letter to the LG.
“In light of this shocking incident of the death of a woman in Farsh Bazar following violence due to water shortage, Hon”ble LG is requested to immediately suspend the CEO of Delhi Jal Board within 24 hours as this criminal negligence has taken place under his watch,” Atishi said.
She claimed that deaths in Delhi are the result of the acts and inactions of Delhi government officials.
“The Hon’ble LG, in charge of Services and Vigilance, needs to act quickly and decisively to let all officers know that this kind of carelessness won’t be accepted. Delhi residents will be looking to the Hon’ble LG for prompt action, the speaker stated.
Atishi bemoaned the lack of progress in augmenting water supplies through tube wells and water tankers in recent weeks, despite directions and reminders, and called for action to stop such incidents.
