Sources alleged that this was an attempt to “redirect attention away from the alleged attack on the chief secretary”. (File)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to chief secretary Anshu Prakash regarding two reports, received a day apart, on development work in unauthorised colonies. Citing “glaring discrepancies”, Kejriwal has asked the chief secretary to fix responsibility and submit a report.
Meanwhile, sources in the chief secretary’s office said that since the file had been “endorsed by the minister”, Kejriwal should direct those questions to him. The files, the chief secretary’s office said, had been sent by Urban Development Minister Satyender Jain to the chief minister’s office.
Sources alleged that this was an attempt to “redirect attention away from the alleged attack on the chief secretary”.
The letter, dated March 26, said, “I have perused the above files and found glaring discrepancies and infirmities in the same, which makes it hard to trust its veracity.” It directed the chief secretary to get a “comprehensive list of all discrepancies prepared and submit the same”.
It adds, “A perusal of these deficiencies show that they are of very serious nature. Some colonies where work is complete have been shown as incomplete. This creates scope for ghost work and for raisin bills. This wrong information might have been provided with that intention.”
Meanwhile, sources in the chief secretary’s office said, “As per allocation of business rules, each secretary is responsible for each department and the minister is the overall in-charge. It is incorrect to ask the chief secretary’s office for this information to begin with. In any case, the information has been sent by the department through the minister to the CM. The CM should first ask the minister how he has endorsed this.”
The discrepancies in question, as per the annexures to the letter, include roads and drains, which cite one as being finished and the other as not yet started.