Kejriwal directs audit of DJB by CAG amid allegations of financial bungling

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said an audit of the Delhi Jal Board's records by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has been ordered to ascertain whether there has been any irregularity.

Interacting with reporters, he warned that there could be a water and sewage crisis in Delhi in the coming days owing to the non-release of funds.

A couple of weeks ago, Delhi Water Minister Atishi had claimed the national capital was staring at a 'man-made water crisis' due to the stoppage of funds to the Delhi Jal Board by the finance department and demanded Lt Governor V K Saxena's immediate intervention in the matter.

Kejriwal, on Wednesday, said, "We have ordered a CAG audit of the last 15 years of records of the Delhi Jal Board. CAG is a third party and the biggest agency in the country. Things will become clearer now."

"If someone has committed irregularities, they should be punished. If no irregularities have been committed, then those who level baseless allegations will get to know," he added.

Asked about the fund crisis in Delhi Jal Board and its possible impact on the ongoing works, the chief minister said, "If bureaucracy will not be answerable to the government, it will be impossible to run the government. There could be a water crisis and sewer crisis due to non-release of funds."

Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman Somnath Bharti welcomed the government's decision to order an audit.

"There cannot be a better thing than this. This reflects the transparency of the Delhi government that the chief minister himself opted to order a CAG audit. This proves the honesty of the AAP government and our leader Arvind Kejriwal.

"This also kills the attempt to politicise the Delhi Jal Board. In DJB, we have been all working hard to serve the people of Delhi but BJP has been trying to bring issues that have no merit. So now, the CAG audit will make everything clear," he told PTI.

The BJP and AAP have been sparring over alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board since last month. The BJP has accused the DJB of running a "scam" of awarding bogus tenders for the upgradation of its sewerage treatment plants.