Improve Kathputli transit camp: Govt
NEWDELHI: A day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited a transit camp at Anand Parbat that houses dwellers of Kathputli Colony, the Delhi government on Friday directed Raheja Developers to improve living conditions at the place within seven days to prevent outbreak of any disease.
Kathputli Colony is Delhi’s first in-situ slum rehabilitation project, residents of which, mostly artisans, will be relocated in the same area in high-rise buildings. While the project is being built on a public-private partnership model by Raheja Developers, the residents are living in temporary camps at Anand Parbat, around 2 kms away from Kathputli Colony.
During his visit, Kejriwal had on Thursday found poor living conditions such as stinking toilets, leaking roofs of the one-room units and lack of cleanliness.
An order issued by sub-divisional magistrate (Patel Nagar) Jatin Goyal said it was found that living conditions at Anand Parbat transit camp were “extremely unhygienic”, which could lead to outbreak of diseases.
It said that as per information received from Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the maintenance of the transit camp was the responsibility of Raheja Builders.
“In order to prevent outbreak of disease, Raheja Builders is directed to ensure proper sweeping of roads and disposal of garbage, repair and cleaning of toilets, overhead water tanks and repair of roofs of tenements,” the order said.
Raheja developers spokesperson Dimple Bharadwaj said maintenance of the transit camp was “not part of their contract” yet they were helping people living in the camp as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“Due to heavy rain, there were some leakages in the roofs of the units that are being repaired. But works related to cleaning of toilets and lifting of garbage rest with the government and the municipal corporations. How can the builder be held responsible for it?” Bharadwaj said.
The DDA said the leaking roofs were being repaired and senior officers, supervisory staff and developer had already been directed to ensure proper cleanliness and upkeep of the camp.