Councillors pass the buck on civic issues

Will direct people's grievances to MLAs

Soon, councillors of the East Corporation will direct grievances of people to local MLAs as they are fed up of residents complaining about the services provided by the city government.

East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s councillors will put up information boards in their offices saying that the civic body does not operate the city’s water, sewage and electricity utilities. The boards will carry the local MLAs contact details so residents can take their complaints to them.

The issue was raised in the East Corporation’s Standing Committee on Monday. Councillors from both the ruling and opposition parties said they were tired of getting water and sewer-related grievances.

Standing Committee chairperson B B Tyagi said the information boards carrying the MLAs’ numbers will be put up soon.

“We have been frequented by people complaining about water and sewers. We take their complaints and send them to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). But, if the complaints are not resolved, they hold us (councillors) responsible,” said Tyagi adding that he will be putting up a board outside his office soon.

He said there was a long-standing complaint regarding a sewer line in Lalita Park, which he tried to resolve with the DJB by having a pump installed.

“But it could not be resolved fully and people blamed me,” said Tyagi.

The East Corporation will be demarcating its own drains, specifying the point where the Public Works Department’s drains and jurisdiction start. Leader of Opposition Varyam Kaur said the councillors were forced to listen to complaints of blocked sewers or leaks, when the drains concerned were the Delhi government’s responsibility.

The unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi was responsible for providing water and sewer services till the DJB was constituted in 1998.

Tyagi said most Delhiites still think the municipal corporations handle water and sewer services.