LG TELLS MCDS TO MAINTAIN PARKS, GYMS AND ROADS

Reviewing the progress of Swachh Bharat Mission and works undertaken by the corporations of Delhi, lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Tuesday directed the civic body officials to ensure regular maintenance of parks and open gyms.

“The L-G directed the officials to monitor cleanliness of roads, public places and garbage dumpyards. He also directed them to take strict action against defaulters if the parks are not maintained properly. The officials of the three MCDs— North, South and East — were directed to monitor progress of construction of household, public and community toilets,” an official said.

The civic bodies run 1,134 public toilets and 2,424 urinals. Only 218 of these are available to women. Also, their poor hygiene and inaccessibility ensure that they are seldom used.

Delhi has over 15,000 parks and open spaces. The municipal corporations maintain around 14,000 and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) takes care of 1,100. The DDA has four regional parks, 111 district parks, 255 neighbourhood parks, 25 city forests, 26 playgrounds and two bio-diversity parks. However, several parks in the city are in a bad condition with garbage dumps, occupied by drug addicts or simply lay abandoned.

SDMC commissioner PK Goel said that the focus of the meeting was on making Delhi open defecation free by constructing more toilets and at the same time ensuring that the present ones are maintained properly.

The L-G has also asked the municipal bodies to expedite installation of Water ATMs in their areas. “Besides, other issues like promoting cashless transactions, mechanical sweeping of roads, and involvement of RWAs in monitoring cleanliness of roads, public places and dhalaos, uniform billboards and signage were also reviewed,” an official said.