Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena Archives - Lokmarg

Delhi: No Significant Rainfall Likely During next 2-3 Hrs

By LokMarg 10th July 2023

Latest radar imagery shows no significant rainfall likely over Delhi and the neighbourhood during the next 2-3 hours, informed the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The city will receive moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and will have cloudy skies today, as per the weather forecast,
Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Sunday issued a flood warning amid heavy rains in North India, as the Haryana government released more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna River from the HathniKund Barrage in Yamunanagar.

The water level in the Yamuna River in Delhi is rising and is expected to breach the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Tuesday, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said on Sunday.

In view of incessant rains in the national capital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday spoke to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and took updates.

Pictures and videos of commuters wading through knee-deep water flooded social media platforms, raising concerns over the efficiency of the city’s drainage infrastructure.

Delhi Traffic Police kept tweeting updates on how the vehicular movement was being impacted because of the downpour. They also shared images of waterlogged areas.

The national capital recorded 153 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Several parts of northwest India witnessed a heavy spell of rain with Delhi shattering a 41-year record on Sunday. There were reports of house collapses, uprooting of trees and waterlogging in several residential colonies. Waterlogging issues were also observed in diplomatic enclaves such as Chanakyapuri, Kaka Nagar, Bharti Nagar, and other prominent roads and colonies under the jurisdiction of the NDMC.

Further, according to the IMD, an interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi, which experienced the season’s first “very heavy” rainfall. (ANI)

Sisodia Pretending To Protect Religious Structures From Demolition: Delhi L-G

By LokMarg 21st February 2023

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday alleged that Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is pretending to protect the unauthorised religious structures from demolition.

“The doublespeak and hypocrisy of Dy CM Manish Sisodia has once against been called out, this time over the issue of demolition of unauthorised religious structures. The unauthorised religious structures that Sisodia is pretending to “protect from demolition”, were actually recommended to be demolished by Sisodia himself which was further approved by CM Arvind Kejriwal and sent to the LG for his nod,” an official note from the Raj Bhavan said.
On Monday, Deputy CM Sisodia appealed to the Delhi L-G to prevent the demolition of temples, mazars, and gurudwaras for infrastructure development projects in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference here at Delhi Secretariat, Sisodia said that these religious structures are visited by lakhs of devotees and have strong emotional connections with people, and their demolition could trigger a law and order situation in the capital.

Sisodia’s appeal came after the Delhi Police released reports regarding the religious structures, recommending that the demolition can cause a riot situation but if it is still necessary, they [Delhi Police] would have to deploy a security force. However, the L-G had claimed that the Delhi government was holding back files related to the demolition of temples, mazars, and gurudwaras, which he claimed was affecting various development projects. A total of 67 temples, six mazars, and one gurudwara have been identified for demolition in 19 files.

While addressing a press conference at Delhi Secretariat
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Deputy CM Manish Sisodia proposed that modifications could be made to the designs of the infrastructure development projects to avoid demolishing these religious structures.

He argued that in an era when modern architecture and technology have advanced, it is possible to modify designs to meet the requirements of the environment, and the same can be done in this case to save the temples, mazars, and gurudwaras. He emphasised that development is essential, but it should not hurt people’s religious sentiments.

The proposed infrastructure projects that identified the religious structures for demolition include the construction of several flyovers, roads, and housing projects by the central government. Structures marked for demolition in Delhi include Sarva Mangal Siddha Peeth, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Dham, and Shyam Math Temple. In addition, 49 temples and one mazar have been identified for demolition under General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) projects of the Central Government in Kasturba Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Srinivaspuri, and Thyagaraj Nagar.

Manish Sisodia urged the Lieutenant Governor to make design changes in the infrastructure projects to avoid the demolition of the religious structures. He emphasised that development is necessary, but it should not be at the cost of hurting people’s religious beliefs.

49 temples and 1 mazar has been marked for demolition in Kasturba Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Srinivaspuri, and Thyagaraj Nagar under GPRA projects of the Central Government. (ANI)

Delhi L-G Hold Yamuna Panel Meeting, Drafts 6-month Plan

By LokMarg 21st January 2023

The NGT-constituted high-level committee for Yamuna rejuvenation, headed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, has finalised a time-bound action plan of eight parameters, with monthly targets till June.

The parameters include augmenting sewage treatment, sewage treatment plants (STPs), tapping and cleaning of drains, sewage network in unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters, septage management, minimum environmental flow, upgradation of 13 CETPs for treatment and management of industrial effluent and restoration of floodplains.

The first meeting of the high-level committee was chaired by the Delhi L-G on Friday.

“After taking stock of the prevalent situation of water quality in the river Yamuna and the various drains in the city, along with the status of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in the city and dwelling upon the gaps in the actions taken till now, the meeting deliberated upon a concrete future plan of action,” an official statement from the L-G office said.

The committee has been asked to submit its first report by January 31.

“A six-month plan of action till June 2023, with monthly targets, was decided upon. The same will be monitored on a weekly basis and the first report to the NGT will be submitted on January 31,” the statement further said.

Addressing the officers, Saxena cautioned the officers against shifting goalposts.

“The task at hand is difficult due to legacy neglect, but yet achievable. Ensure implementation of the decisions taken today in a mission mode, without extending committed timelines. Any shortcoming on part of officials will not be accepted,” Delhi L-G said.

The committee was constituted by the National Green Tribunal on January 9 for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna following the Supreme Court order.

NGT in its order said that the committee was formed to oversee the implementation of its orders with regard to cleaning the Yamuna and requested Delhi L-G VK Saxena to head the committee.

The bench had observed, “It does appear that the situation to a great extent remains unsatisfactory, in violation of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and orders of this Tribunal, fixing rigid timelines which are being defied at whims, without accountability and without visible improvement in the ground situation. Thus, an effective execution regime appears to be necessary with the involvement of topmost administrative authorities with the flexibility of procedures for the award of works for execution of pollution prevention projects.” (ANI)

Murmu Delegates Fresh Powers To Delhi LG Amid Stalemate With Kejriwal

By LokMarg 18th January 2023

President Droupadi Murmu has delegated two fresh powers to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 to formulate the rules only in the areas of the Union territory of the National Capital Territory of Delhi where it is required.

It is directed that the Delhi LG will exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the appropriate government or state government under these rules until further order, mentions two separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 16.

As per the notifications, administrators and the Lieutenant Governors of five other Union Territories, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep, were also delegated similar powers by the President.

“In pursuance of clause (1) of article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that

the administrator or Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep shall, subject to the control of the President and until further order, exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the appropriate Government or State Government under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (35 of 2020), to formulate the rules only in the areas where the Union territory of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep are required to formulate rules either as appropriate Government or State Government,” states one of the notifications.

Under Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the appropriate government may exempt any new industrial establishment or class of establishments from the provisions of the Code in the public interest.

Another notification mentions regarding delegation of powers of state government and appropriate government under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 to the administrator and Lieutenant Governor of these six UTs.

“In pursuance of clause (1) of article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the administrator or Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep shall, subject to the control of the President and until further order, exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the appropriate Government or State Government under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (37 of 2020), to formulate the rules only in the areas where the Union territory of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep are required to formulate rules either as appropriate Government or State Government,” said the notification.

The delegation of two fresh powers to Delhi LG is significant amid his stalemate with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The recent flashpoint between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has triggered ahead of the January 23 election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). AAP has accused the LG of issuing orders on “practically everything” and bypassing the elected government. (ANI)