Delhi Minister Demands Clarity from Chief Secretary on Decision Delays and Desilting Audit

Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has called for clarity from Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on alleged pending decisions and a third-party desilting audit. This follows an incident resulting in the deaths of three IAS aspirants in Rajinder Nagar.

The Delhi Minister for Urban Development, Saurabh Bhardwaj, has demanded an explanation from Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar regarding his claims of pending decisions. Bhardwaj has directed Kumar to specify which decisions are pending. This directive follows a note issued from Bhardwaj's office on July 29.

Minister Bhardwaj has also instructed CS Naresh Kumar to submit third-party audit reports of desilting efforts by various departments. In an official statement, Bhardwaj cited a note, no. 1896/TS, dated July 29, 2024, which was in response to a Magisterial Enquiry ordered by the Minister for Revenue concerning the deaths of three IAS aspirants in Rajinder Nagar on July 27, 2024.

"In the note's paragraph 5.2, the Chief Secretary claimed some decisions are pending on my part. However, upon consultation with ACS (I&FC) and Chief Engineer (I&FC), it was clarified that no decisions are pending post the approval dated March 14, 2024," Bhardwaj stated. He directed the Chief Secretary to elucidate which decisions are pending and to explain how paragraph 5.2 relates to the enquiry report on the Rajinder Nagar incident.

Bhardwaj also reiterated his directive for a third-party audit of desilting by all agencies, setting a deadline of August 7, 2024, for the report. Previously, an incorrect deadline of August 31, 2024, was mentioned. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted a general inquiry report to Minister Atishi on Tuesday, following the drowning deaths of three UPSC aspirants in a flooded basement library in Old Rajinder Nagar.

(With inputs from agencies.)