The Hindu : New Delhi News : "How can CM go on foreign junket when Delhiites are suffering?"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

"How can CM go on foreign junket when Delhiites are suffering?"

Staff Reporter

Sheila has left Delhiites to fend for themselves: BJP MLA

NEW DELHI: Charging that good governance had taken a backseat and chaos was prevailing in the administration, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MLA from Saket, Vijay Jolly, on Tuesday criticised Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for going out on a foreign tour when the entire Delhi was sweating and protesting on account of the poor power and water situation.

At a press conference here, Mr. Jolly expressed dismay over the mal-functioning of the private power distribution companies. "Due to their indifferent and callous attitude the citizens of Delhi are facing unscheduled load-shedding, prolonged power cuts, fast running meters and inflated bills. It is unfortunate that when the citizens are protesting against the poor power situation on the streets, the Chief Minister has chosen to fly off to Mangolia. She could have sent any of her ministers at such a crucial time instead of leaving Delhiites to fend for themselves," he remarked.

Charging BSES Rajdhani Limited with taking the people of his constituency for a ride, Mr. Jolly said the Delhi Jal Board had dug up three drinking water tube-wells in Sangam Vihar colony this year. These were commissioned at his behest. "BSES was supposed to provide electricity connections to energise these tube-wells. But instead of coming to the rescue of the lakhs of residents, BSES has demanded exorbitant and inflated funds from the Jal Board to provide power connections."

Demanding an inquiry into the whole affair, Mr. Jolly said a probe should be held to not only look into the inflated claims being submitted by BSES in Sangam Vihar but also for the entire Capital during the past four years "so that the truth is brought out as to how the public exchequer has been looted systematically".

Mr. Jolly said for the tube-wells dug up with a budget of Rs. 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs, BSES had demanded Rs. 12 lakhs to 28 lakhs to energise them. Alleging an unholy nexus between government officials and the private power distribution companies in the Capital, Mr. Jolly said a systematic effort was being made to loot the public exchequer and benefit the private companies.

"The three distribution companies have together been subsidised to the tune of whopping Rs. 3,750 crore since July 2002. There is a big scam of Rs. 12,500 crores, a fact that has even been acknowledged by the Congress leaders themselves," he said, demanding that the entire privatisation process be reviewed and the licence of BSES be revoked without any delay in public interest.

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