Delhi L-G writes to AAP supremo Kejriwal; accuses his govt of 'criminal inaction' on air pollution

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has written to AAP convenor and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of "gross indifference" and "criminal inaction" on the issue of air pollution, and holding his government responsible for the present crisis in the capital.

There was no immediate reaction from AAP.

In the letter, Saxena claimed that during a conversation with Kejriwal on air pollution, the former chief minister had down-played the issue, saying, it is an annual occurrence and activists and courts make an issue of it and then forget it.

The L-G said "11 years of neglect and criminal inaction" by Kejriwal and his government were responsible for Delhi's deteriorating air quality.

He alleged that during AAP's tenure, the government focused on blaming neighbouring states and the Centre, while failing to take concrete steps to control dust pollution, which Saxena said is a major contributor to PM10 and PM2.5 levels in the city.

Saxena, who has been L-G for over three-and-a-half years, accused Kejriwal of indulging in "petty politics" and trying to "bog down" the BJP government which has been in power for 10 months and attempting to undo what he described as legacy issues left behind by the AAP government.

Quoting a couplet in Hindi, Saxena wrote, "Jab kisi se koi gila rakhna, saamne apne aaina rakhna (When you have a complaint against someone, keep a mirror in front of you)." The L-G said he could have conveyed these concerns personally or over phone, but Kejriwal apparently stopped meeting him after the electoral defeat and blocked his number.

Alleging negligence by the previous AAP government on all fronts, the L-G said roads and footpaths were left in total disrepair for years, significantly increasing dust pollution, and accused the Kejriwal government of stalling key public transport projects such as Delhi Metro Phase-IV and the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

He also claimed that e-buses funded by the Centre were delayed because AAP wanted its leaders' pictures on them.

Referring to the Yamuna and Delhi's drainage system, Saxena said the river and drains "suffered due to apathy" for 11 years, with sewer lines and drains not desilted for over a decade, leading to 80 to 90 per cent blockage and waterlogging across the city.

He also pointed out that despite Delhi's dependence on neighbouring states for drinking water, 58 per cent of water was lost in transmission and the capacity of the Wazirabad reservoir was reduced by 96 per cent due to silt deposition, even as the AAP government continued to blame Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Saxena said despite a "crushing defeat" in the Delhi Assembly elections, Kejriwal and his party had refused to learn from the verdict and continued to spread "lies" on issues affecting the people of Delhi.

He said he was writing the letter so that the "false public perception" created by Kejriwal is exposed to the people, "who are the ultimate judges in our democracy".

The L-G also accused the AAP government of opposing development projects, including public transport, infrastructure and urban renewal initiatives, while claiming that several parks, heritage sites, housing projects, sports complexes and transit-oriented developments were executed by the DDA despite AAP's resistance.

Among other allegations, Saxena claimed the Kejriwal government failed to set up 500 new schools, counted toilets as classrooms, did not start a single new hospital in 10 years, and prioritised advertising expenditure over healthcare infrastructure.

He also alleged that the AAP government did not hold regular cabinet meetings, avoided signing files, and failed to table CAG reports in the assembly, undermining constitutional and democratic norms.

The letter also accused the previous AAP government of delaying or opposing several Centre-funded projects in Delhi, including expansion of AIIMS and IIT, metro corridors, UER, GPRA colonies and RRTS, and of refusing to pay Rs 500 crore to the DDA for land allotted to Delhi government universities -- a payment that, Saxena said, was made by the new government in its very first budget. PTI SLB ARB ARB