Blame game begins over kite string ban

LG, green dept delayed ban: AAP govt

Political blame game on alleged delay in banning the lethal ‘Chinese’ kite string intensified on Wednesday with the AAP government trying to shift the blame on Raj Niwas and the Congress seeking a CBI probe.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia released details of the file movement to indicate that the elected government forwarded the documents with alacrity but the delay was caused at the end of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and the Environment Department.
“This file tracking note shows that Chinese Manjha file was with LG for 4 days and Sec Env. For 7 days,” tweeted Sisodia.

The Raj Niwas clarified that the file was cleared within a day of being received on Aug 8.
Earlier, Sisodia wrote to Jung seeking disciplinary action against Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti for delay in issuing the draft notification banning lethal kite string.
“The lack of timely action by Bharti has resulted in unfortunate loss of a precious life,” Sisodia wrote.

In his letter to Jung, Sisodia said that Bharti “failed" to issue the notification before Independence Day despite the fact that Delhi’s Environment Minister had on August 5 approved it, and thereafter the LG had given his nod.

On August 15, kite strings claimed three lives -- two children and a 22-year-old man -- after their necks were slit, while a Delhi Police sub-inspector was injured. There were reports of other injuries.

The Raj Niwas hit back at Sisodia for shifting the blame for delay in issuing the draft notification on the ban.

“It is clarified that the said file was received in the Lieutenant. Governor’s office on August 8 (Monday) vide Diary No.25849 and after due approval, it was sent back on August 9 (Tuesday) to the office of the Deputy Chief Minister. Copy of the Lieutenant. Governor’s file monitoring details is enclosed,” said a statement issued by the Raj Niwas.
Jung’s office also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government by claiming that even till now a final notification has not been sent to Raj Niwas.

All that has been sent is a draft notification which would take 60 days to come into force, the statement said.

Leader of Oppostion Vijender Gupta of the BJP also blamed the Arvind Kejriwal government for lapses in checking the use of Chinese string that resulted in injuries to birds and people.

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken sought a CBI probe in the matter and questioned the delay of “two and a half months” in issuing the draft notification.

“The delay in banning the Chinese string seems to have been done to benefit importers or dealers of this item,” Maken said, questioning the logic of issuing a draft notification a day after August 15 – the day which witnesses maximum use of the lethal Chinese string.