Water scarcity of Delhi dominated the second day of budget session of Delhi Assembly when several BJP legislators alleged that the govt had failed to spend the government’s failure to supply clean drinking water in various parts of the city, especially those run by the BJP legislators.
Raising the issue during question hour, Dharam Dev Solanki, who is a BJP MLA from Dwarka, said that despite repeated reminders to chief minister Sheila Dikshit, water woes continue in his constituency. He even alleged that Delhi Jal Board is partial and supplies people’s share of water to Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra’s under-construction sites for hotels and malls near International airport.
“Every time I meet the CM or every time I am given an opportunity to speak in the House, I have only demanded water for the people of my constituency for past many years. But all I get is mere a promise from the government,” alleged Solanki, as Congress legislators objected to the comments and demanded an apology.
“While our people suffer, this government supplies more than required water to the hotel and malls being constructed by Robert Vadra and his companies,” he added.
When Solanki refused to apologise, Congressmen protested with raised voices with equally vocal BJP legislators created ruckus in the House. With commotion at its peak, speaker Yoganand Shastri adjourned the House for 40 minutes.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs Kulwant Rana, Ramesh Bidhuri, S P Rautal also talked about water problems in their constituencies and asked for an early solution of problem.
Allegations dismissed
Meanwhile, chief minister refuted the allegations and claimed the water situation to be good as compared to what it used to be during BJP’s regime and also things will further be improved this year.
Water to Vadra
Later, speaking about the allegations made by Solanki, former Delhi finance minister Jagdish Mukhi said Dwarka is supplied water from two commands, each having capacity of 2.5 MGD and the government is supplying atleast one MGD to Vadra’s construction sites.
“This is a fact. This was told to me by a very senior DJB official,” said Mukhi, without revealing the official’s name.
