"Ready to take responsibility..won't blame anyone": Delhi divisional commissioner refutes AAP minister Atishi's charges

Revenue Minister Atishi. Pic/PTI

Delhi Revenue Secretary and Divisional Commissioner, Ashwani Kumar, on Saturday, refuted the allegations levelled against him by Revenue Minister, Atishi, of deliberately ignoring her calls and messages and said that he is ready to take responsibilities and will not blame anyone for it. Kumar also claimed that he spoke to Revenue Minister Atishi and accused her of wanting to do politics.

Earlier, a letter to the chief secretary issued from the Revenue minister's office, alleged that the minister had been trying to get in touch with the divisional commissioner Kumar, but he did not pick up her calls or respond to her messages. "This is very unfortunate on making an accusation during such a time. I had a word with Atishi Ji. I spoke with her yesterday. This shows that maybe they want to do politics. If you say, I am responsible, then I am ready to take the responsibilities. Unlike others, I won't blame anyone," the divisional commissioner said while addressing a press conference at NDMC Convention Centre here on Saturday.

"We need to understand to know which wing can do what kind of work. If someone doesn't know the basics, then how can the work be done? Which agency has what capacity, I have informed the minister," added the IAS officer. "This work is not just the work of one department. We need to deal with the challenges. Throwing allegations at each other is not good and I am unable to understand why they are making a mole out of the mountain. These allegations are to divert focus from work," he added.

Earlier, Delhi's Flood control minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, also wrote a letter to LG demanding action against three bureaucrats for not following the instructions of two ministers to call NDRF and the Army's Engineer Regiment at night to repair the WHO building regulator.

"Officers ignored the directions causing flood situation in VIP areas of Delhi including the Supreme Court of India. Flooding could have been avoided if the directions of Ministers had been followed and Army/NDRF was called on the preceding night. This was a conspiracy against Supreme Court," Saurabh Bhardwaj writes in his letter.

Further reacting to Revenue Minister, Atishi's allegations of the Haryana government of deliberately releasing water from Hathini Kund Barrage to Delhi, Ashwini Kumar said, 'The water released from the Hathnikund barrage is normal."

Detailing the ongoing rescue and restoration works to make the situation back to normal, Ashwani Kumar said, 'We have 44 camps in Delhi, and around 50 per cent of camps arrangements are made in buildings. We want the rest of them to also move to buildings as there are chances of rain to occur and it is not going work. But we are facing some resistance."

'For now, we have evacuated a total of 25,478 people and today we have 18 NDRF teams. These NDRF teams rescued 1500 people and evacuated around 4000 people and along with this, they have evacuated 550 cattle as well," he said.

"27 ambulances have been deployed and 23 ambulances are on call. All our field officers are working day and night. The district administration, police, PWD, and other various departments have been jointly working. Wherever there is a scope for improvement, we are on our toes to ensure we are able to meet the challenge," he pointed out.

Kumar also said the scarcity of washrooms is being faced at the relief camp as most of them are being used for Kanwar Yatris and said that they are trying to improve things for everyone.

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