North body’s session washed out over Karol Bagh tragedy
NEW DELHI: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s final budget session on Wednesday saw a total washout as opposition Aam Aadmi Party’s councillors staged a protest against the fire incident in Karol Bagh that claimed 17 lives.
Amid multiple interruptions, leader of the House, Tilak Raj Kataria, announced the major schemes they have launched for this financial year. “We are relaunching the Atal Aahar Kendra Yojana. We will be serving good quality food to the economically weaker section of the society for ₹10 only. Also, we have allocated ₹1,560 lakh to distribute among widows, handicapped and the mentally retarded. For this, we will select 150 persons per ward and give it to them.”
Mayor Adesh Gupta said, “We have also not increased house taxes and will be embarking on several projects like Yoga Parks, Nakshatra Vatika, herbal parks, etc. very soon.”
Leader of Opposition, Anil Lakra, said, “The Bjp-led MCD cannot just wash their hands off the entire incident, saying they followed the fire department NOC to give their health trade licences and did not do any investigation of their own.”
“Also, how did they not come to know of the terrace kitchen? Did the officers not see it or deliberately ignore it? MCD is famous for corruption. The mayor must take responsibility and resign from his post immediately,” he demanded.
Lakra, accompanied by his colleagues rushed into the well of the House during the budget session and raised placards and slogans against the BJP. They repeatedly interrupted Kataria, not letting him read out his budget speech.
Regarding AAP’S protest and allegations, Kataria said, “Karol Bagh fire was an accident due to short circuit. What purpose will it serve for our political leaders to give their resignation?”
“First they don’t pay our dues and leave us in a bad financial situation, then if an incident happens they demand our resignation,” he complained.
AAP councillors protested at the entrance of the Civic Centre building as well, demanding compensation to the families of the victims in the fire incident. Leader of position in SDMC Praveen Kumar also joined them.