Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi pulls up MC chief on garbage disposal
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 18
Amid growing concerns over irregular garbage disposal in the national capital, Mayor Dr Shelly Oberoi on Sunday pulled up Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner Ashwani Kumar.
She expressed her dissatisfaction with the Commissioner’s handling of the situation, citing the accumulation of waste on the streets of Delhi over the past few days.
‘Step out of air-conditioned offices’
I had told MC Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to join me on inspections to witness the ground realities firsthand. However, he has not accompanied me on any such visits so far. Delhi’s cleanliness situation will not improve if officials do not step out of their air-conditioned offices. — Shelly Oberoi, Mayor
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the MCD Commissioner, Mayor Oberoi directed him to take immediate action to address the city’s sanitation crisis. She also directed for ensuring proper garbage collection and disposal across Delhi and called for stringent measures against officials who fail to fulfill their responsibilities.
“I have repeatedly brought this matter to your attention, yet there has been no significant progress,” Oberoi wrote.
“Instead, there seems to be a blame game between the MCD officials and waste management concessionaires. It is your responsibility to ensure that waste management — the primary duty of the MCD — is executed properly. However, it appears that the MCD’s official machinery is failing on the ground.”
To ensure that the situation improves, Oberoi has instructed the Commissioner to accompany her on daily inspections of the city’s 12 MCD zones. These inspections, scheduled to take place from August 20 to September 2, aim to assess the cleanliness and sanitation efforts across the city.
Expressing her frustration, Mayor Oberoi noted that she had previously told Commissioner Kumar to join her on inspections to witness the ground realities firsthand. However, she pointed out that he had not accompanied her on any such visits so far.
“Delhi’s cleanliness situation will not improve if officials do not step out of their air-conditioned offices,” Oberoi added.
Tajinder Singh, a resident of Raja Garden, said, “It’s been weeks since the garbage has been accumulating at the waste disposal site of the MCD in the area. Every time we have to complain to get the garbage removed. Some officials’ residences are also nearby but no one pays heed.”
