Delhi not ready for monsoon: Congress slams AAP

The Congress on Saturday said Delhi is not ready for the monsoon and slammed the ruling AAP for not having carried out the de-silting process of drains - a routine work where drains are cleaned ahead of the monsoon to prevent waterlogging and consequent mosquito-related diseases.

During a press conference, the Congress said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is far from completing the de-silting work and that the "monsoon woes" are in the offing.

"Delhi is sitting on an epidemic scare as the data accessed from the Public Works Department (PWD) website shows that only 4.70 per cent of drains have been cleaned by May 29, and the areas where the poor live would be the worst affected," a statement quoted the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Maken as telling the media.

Accusing the government of slacking, Maken said the tender for mechanical de-silting "Super Sucker Machine of Storm Water Drains" was floated on May 29 by the PWD, while the scheduled date for completion of de-silting was just days away on June 15.

He raised apprehensions that a blame game may take place between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-controlled MCD and AAP when things go wrong during the monsoon. The MCD will blame the state for flooding of small drains, accusing the AAP government of not carrying out de-silting of the big ones under it, he said.

The conflict between the government at the Centre and AAP was also a mere "eye wash", Maken alleged, saying that the BJP "does not want to go beyond a point against Kejriwal and his team".

--IANS

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