AAP alleges ₹5cr scam in EDMC over silt dumping

AAP SAID THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROCESS WAS ₹7.7 CRORE, OF WHICH ₹5.1 CRORE

WAS SPENT IN THE WEEK THE PRIVATE PLAYER WAS INVOLVED

NEWDELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that officials of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) were involved in a ₹5-crore scam related to the disposal of drain silt at a dumping ground on the outskirts of the city.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party questioned the corporation’s claim that the silt was dumped at a landfill site in Singhola village near the Singhu border through a private contractor and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation in the matter.

The issue was raised by the AAP in the EDMC House meeting, when the leader of opposition, Kuldeep Kumar, sought information about silt disposal from the drains in east Delhi.

AAP spokesperson Dileep Pandey said, “In one of the weeks during the three-month-long silt dumping process that started in June this year, the EDMC officials hired a private weighing station.

The corporation claims that it transported the silt to Singhu border via 419 truck trips a day. The trucks, according to EDMC, plied for eight hours every day. This is not possible.”

Quoting information sought from the EDMC, Panday said the total cost of the process was ₹7.7 crore, of which ₹5.1 crore were spent in the week the private player was involved. “A truck would take at least two hours to reach Singhu border. How is it possible for them to take 419 trips a day,” he said. According to rules, trucks are allowed to transport silt between 10pm and 6am every night.

“We all know how private weighing stations work. We demand a probe by CBI so that we know which officials were involved in siphoning off tax payers money,” Pandey said.

The disposal of silt in East Delhi became a heated issue last year after dumping at the Ghazipur landfill was affected after a mountain of trash collapsed. Soon after, dumping of trash at the new ground – set up in Geeta Colony — was stalled due to protests by residents of the area. In April this year, the corporation announced that they would dump trash at the new dumping yard in Singhola. In June this year, operations began at the Singhola dumpyard.

An EDMC official , who did not wish to be named, questioned the figures claimed by the AAP terming the allegation baseless. “At times, the trucks operate during the day as well. So we can have 419 trips. Also the slit at the site is not just what EDMC collects but also what PWD and irrigation department collects. We will respond to the allegations in a proper way,” he said.