Maken blames AAP-BJP tussle for Delhi's mess

Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken on Friday blamed the constant tussle between the BJP-ruled municipal corporations and the AAP-led Delhi government for the poor condition of civic amenities in the city.

"It has been two months since the MCD elections got over, however, important committees in the Corporations including public health, anti-malware and anti-flood, appointment and works committee, among others have still not been constituted, alleged Maken on Friday.

Pointing to the delay, he stated that the Lieutenant Governor must intervene to end the fight between the state and Central government.

"The functioning of all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi have come to a standstill as the AAP-BJP tussle has stalled the formation of nearly 30 committees in the three MCDs," said Maken.

"For the first time in the history of the MCD, no Standing Committee meeting has been held, though the MCD results were declared nearly two months ago," said Maken.

These committees consist of three categories — Statutory Committee, Special Committee and Ad Hoc committee.

The Standing Committee, Education Committee and Rural Area Committee are Statutory Committees while the Ad Hoc committees constitute Anti-Flood, Anti-Malaria and Women's Welfare. The Special Committee consists of Works, Appointments, Medical Relief and Public Health.

"In the absence of the anti-malaria and anti-flood committees, people of Delhi face the threat of diseases like dengue this year too, as the monsoon days are almost at the doorstep," said Maken.

He added that Congress councillors will raise the issue in the MCD meeting, and if need be, the party will come out on the streets to agitate. "The Congress party has been in power in Delhi, but it never allowed any delay in the constitution of various committees in the MCDs to affect the functioning of the Corporations, " he said.

He added that the AAP Government in Delhi and the BJP-ruled MCDs were behaving irresponsibly, as a result of which the people are being directly affected.

"We want that people should not be made to suffer because of differences between the AAP and the BJP," he said.

...& ANALYSIS

• The Congress chief is right in pointing out that the tussle between AAP and the BJP-ruled corporations has resulted in poor civic conditions but such a situation is not new.
   
• The Congress government faced similar problems of infrastructure and other woes but was not able to work with civic bodies to find a solution.