The Hindu : New Delhi News : L-G's agenda: Akshardham, industries, transparency

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

L-G's agenda: Akshardham, industries, transparency

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 13. Taking note of the notice issued by the Supreme Court with regard to construction of the sprawling new Akshardham Temple on the Yamuna riverbanks in the Capital, the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B.L. Joshi, today said he has asked officers in the Delhi Development Authority to conduct an internal inquiry and submit a report. He also hinted at reforms in DDA with regard to the public grievances system and public dealings in order to bring the administration closer to the common man.

In his first interaction with the media after taking over as Lieutenant-Governor in June this year, Mr. Joshi said he was unaware of any violations and that was the reason he had asked the DDA officials to prepare a report putting all facts together. At the same time, Mr. Joshi said he was of the view that there was a need to decentralise the functioning of DDA and other such institutions in order to ensure that the benefits of development percolate down to the grassroots. He said he had certain things in mind to streamline the functioning of DDA and had already put in place certain measures. "I have asked the officers in the organisation to ensure that two important things, public grievances and public dealings, are taken up on a priority basis. People should not be made to run around for a certain work and there has to be a proper system in place to ensure this,'' he added.

Stating that he had been very impressed with the concept of decentralisation and panchayati raj initiated by the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Lieutenant-Governor said this was something that needed to be taken care of in the coming days. The pressure on Delhi needs to be decreased if we have to ensure better economic conditions for one and all. It was high time that the concept of the National Capital Region (NCR) was promoted and magnetic townships developed around Delhi to deflect the population pressure from the city.

"There is a need to ensure economic opportunities in NCR townships and I assure you that already certain steps are being taken in this direction. Delhi cannot take the load of increased population pressure and commercial activity,'' he remarked.

Asked if he had applied his mind to the concept of breaking up the Municipal Corporation of Delhi into smaller bodies, Mr. Joshi said he had not yet studied the subject. However, he said that the Government would work to implement the order of the Supreme Court and ensure that all industries that have come up in the non-conforming areas of the Capital after 1990 were closed and shifted. The Supreme Court has given six months to the Delhi Government and other agencies to carry out this task. At the same time, Mr. Joshi emphasised the need to implement administrative reforms in a big way and said the outdated laws and complex rules and regulations, which tended to promote corrupt activities, need to be done away with and replaced with modern laws, which are compact and people-friendly.

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