New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday stated that Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena is falsely taking credit score for the cleansing of Bhalswa Lake including that he was not even appointed as LG when the method of cleansing was began.
Saurabh Bhardwaj who can be the chairman of the Delhi Jal Board stated that Delhi Development Authority is rejuvenating this lake and likewise claimed that the work began after his first go to on October 15, 2022.
In this regard, Saurabh Bhardwaj took to Twitter and stated, ” Respected Delhi LG this rejuvenation work has been undertaken by Arvind Kejriwal-led DJB. The elected Govt of Delhi is working on around 3 dozen water bodies of DDA. Please don’t take undue credit.””LG Saab joined as LG in May 2022, here is a work order dated Jan 2022 of Arvind Kejriwal-led DJB for the rejuvenation of the Central Govts DDA drain. Though taking away this huge Cow dung from Bhalaswa Dairy was always the duty of BJP-led MCD, they dumped it in this DDA’s lake for years,” he additional tweeted.
He additional acknowledged that Arvind Kejriwal directed DJB to comply with up with DDA to rejuvenate the lake.
“DDA is an agency under the Central Government that owns most of the land and lakes in the city. It was observed that most of the lakes under the ownership of DDA or MCD were in a depleted state and could be rejuvenated. Arvind Kejriwal directed DJB to follow up with the land-owning agency so that these lakes/water bodies could be rejuvenated by the Delhi Jal board via funds of Delhi govt,” Saurabh Bhardwaj stated.
“After a long follow-up, working permission was granted by DDA to DJB to rejuvenate these lakes from its own funds of DJB. It is disheartening to see the LG claiming credit for the work which has been going on for many years much before he joined as the LG of Delhi. Delhi government has been patiently waiting that some day the LG will give due credit for this work to those who deserve it,” he added.
He additionally talked about that LG is busy doing public relations workouts and it isn’t anticipated from his workplace.
“The office of LG is a sacrosanct office and such PR exercises are not expected from the office of LG. The CM of Delhi had always advocated for restraint even when the LG office has been claiming the credit for most of the works of Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control and the Environment Department of the Delhi Govt,” he stated.
“It must be pointed out that earlier pictures of the LG claiming credit for the rejuvenation of Sanjay Lake were also not in good taste. The attached NOC provided by DDA dated 17.05.2019 mentions seven lakes where DDA allowed DJB to revive and rejuvenate the lakes. Sanjay Lake is at S.No 4 and Bhalswa Lake is at S.No 5. This makes it amply clear 3 years before joining of LG, this work was planned by Delhi Jal Board, however, due to the onset of Corona during 2020 and 2021, most of the work gained speed in the year 2022,” he stated. He additional talked about the seven steps taken by the engineers of DJP to wash the lake.
“Step 1 was the cleaning of the existing PWD drain choked with Cow dung and garbage from Bhalswa Dairy, Step 2 was the excavation of garbage and cow dung island from inside the lake using hydraulic excavators, then Step 3 was the construction of an interceptor drain to divert cow dung into the supplementary drain in phase I, else it would pollute the lake and contaminate the groundwater, after that Step 4 was the final diversion of cow dung into the Interceptor chamber of DJB is under process, Step 5 was the removal of water hyacinth and wild vegetation from the lake, Step 6 was Desilting of sludge, silt and other organic waste from the bed of the lake periphery and Step 7 was the Cleaning and maintaining interceptor drain to ensure waste doesn’t go inside the Lake,” assertion talked about.
“DJB has been doing work of holistic rejuvenation of Bhalswa Lake for many years. The above tasks are mentioned in S.No. 1 and 7 have been done so far. Soon, an in situ treatment system will be placed inside the lake to improve water quality to BOD 5 mg/L levels,” it added.
Chairman, DJB has been holding common conferences with space MLA and councillor on the problem of Bhalswa Lake rejuvenation to expedite the work. The lake has been underneath DDA since 2019 but it surely has been in dismal situation and water high quality was totally contaminated. On the instruction of CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal, DJB took it upon itself to rejuvenate the lake and enhance the water high quality. The working permission was taken by DJB from DDA on 17.05.2019. Thereafter DJB carried out an in depth survey and developed a method to provoke cleansing works, the official assertion stated. (ANI)