The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD House against trifurcation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

MCD House against trifurcation

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 20. The Congress-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi today condemned the Sheila Dikshit Government and her Council of Ministers for proposing trifurcation of the MCD.

The House in a resolution demanded that the Delhi Jal Board be once again brought under the civic body from the Delhi Government.

Levelling a series of charges against the Sheila Dikshit Government, agitated Congress Councillors charged that under her leadership life had become miserable for the residents and her administration had imposed an `unbearable' financial burden by hiking the power and water rates and "sold'' the Delhi Vidyut Board to private players.

The three-hour long debate on MCD's trifurcation witnessed personal attacks on the working and administration of Ms. Dikshit from her party Councillors, who alleged that her popular Bhagidari scheme was a picnic spot and a loot of public funds.

The MCD Congress leadership including the Leader of House, Satbir Singh, and the Standing Committee Chairman, Mukesh Goel, also attacked, without directly naming her, the Sheila Dikshit Government and the party MLAs in their speeches.

Ms. Dikshit found support from only four of her party Councillors: Ajit Choudhary from Dilshad Garden, Prem Kumar (Krishna Nagar), Ratan Singh Panwar (Vishwas Nagar) and Jagdish Pradhan (Karawal Nagar).

Following a debate on the private member resolution of the Delhi Assembly passed last week and that called for MCD's trifurcation, the Corporation in a resolution said a categorical "no'' to the civic body's division and demanded allotting more powers to the civic body.

The BJP said they opposed the trifurcation in its present format and wanted studies on its "financial management" before discussing the issue.

While the Congress resolution was moved by the Leader of House, Satbir Singh, the BJP resolution, which was also accepted, was moved by its senior Rohini Councillor, Vijender Kumar Gupta.

"We oppose the trifurcation proposal in its present format as this is against the interest of the people of the Capital. We would like to support any move to divide the MCD if we are convinced that it would help in the development of Delhi and was for the welfare of its residents," said Leader of Opposition, Subhash Arya.

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