Parks in Delhi under BJP-ruled MCDs will turn barren soon due to negligence: AAP

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday claimed that around 14,500 parks in Delhi under the supervision of the BJP-ruled municipal corporations will turn barren and contribute to pollution due to negligence.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj further claimed that the MCDs had not deployed tankers even after two years of the National Green Tribunal's order.

Responding, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor accused the AAP for playing dirty politics on the issue.

At the press conference, Bhardwaj said, "If you see any park which has good greenery, you will know that the park is maintained by RWAs with Delhi government funds."

"The Delhi government is ready to provide water free of cost from its STPs but the BJP-ruled MCDs want these parks to dry up," he added.

In a statement to counter the claims, Kapoor said, "Saurabh Bhardwaj has tried to portray as if MCDs are liable to make alternative arrangements for watering of parks while the truth is that as per the orders of the NGT, including the latest order dated March 26, 2021, the Delhi Jal Board has been bound to provide free water to the municipal corporations for watering of parks across the city."

"The NGT order clearly says that Delhi Jal Board will hire tankers at is own cost to supply water to MCDs for watering of parks as a statutory duty," he said.

AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj has chosen to misread and misreport an order of a constitutional body, and this will be brought to the notice of the NGT chairperson, Kapoor added.

"It will be better if instead of issuing misleading statements against MCDs, the AAP leadership issue funds to the MCDs to help further improve some 15,500 parks maintained by the three civic bodies. Saurabh Bhardwaj should know that out of these 15,500 parks, less then 1,000 are maintained by RWAs," the BJP spokesperson said.