Govt says MCDS not getting funds, HC seeks Centre’s reply

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre on the disbursal of money to civic bodies after the AAP government informed the court that the national Capital is not getting grants for MCDS under the 14th Finance Commission.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the issue needs to be examined. It sought to know the stand of the Centre and what the other states are getting under the 14th Finance Commission.

The court’s order comes after Sanjoy Ghose, additional standing counsel for the Delhi government, informed the bench that the Centre is not giving them the money earmarked for municipal corporations. He said that according to the 14th Finance Commission, the Centre is supposed to pay Rs 488 per person to the MCD.

“All the states are getting the money but only Delhi is not getting as it is a Union Territory. If the money is disbursed, then the amount comes to Rs 4,082 crore according to the latest census. Please tell them (Centre) to give the money directly to the civic bodies,” he said.

Following this, the court sought to know from the Centre about the grant to the other UTS. It directed Centre to file a report within two weeks.

The court was hearing PILS by lawyers Arpit Bhargava and Gauri Grover who had sought directions to municipal bodies and other authorities to take steps to prevent the spread of dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

The bench was informed that there have been 12 deaths due to dengue and 4 due to chikunguniya following which it expressed its displeasure on the inaction of the Centre pursuant to its last orders and stated that they need some action plan.

“Despite this court’s order and the CD containing the terrible state of affairs so far as solid waste management is concerned, it appears that the matter has not received the attention it deserves,” the bench said in its oral orders.

The court also expressed its concern on the “hopeless” state of affairs in the functioning of the civic bodies and suggested that a pilot project be undertaken at various colonies where people can be held accountable for littering in public. “The MCDS are in a hopeless condition. There is no staff, no money and there is complete unwillingness among the employees to work,” the bench remarked.