SC seeks officials’ reply on DJB funds

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Delhi chief secretary and principal finance secretary over a Delhi government petition seeking release of budgeted amount of ₹1,927 crore for the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and posted the matter for hearing on Friday.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud did not issue notice to lieutenant governor VK Saxena, who was made a party to the petition.

LG was represented in the court by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who pointed out that the matter of release of budgeted money does not involve LG and is a matter to be dealt with by the bureaucrats.

The Delhi government, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and advocate Shadan Farasat, pointed out that ₹4,578.15 crore out of the total amount of over ₹6,000 crore, budgeted for financial year (FY) 2023-24, has been released so far. Of this, an amount of ₹760 crore was released on March 31, a day prior to the hearing of the case.

According to him, the balance amount of ₹1,927 crore has not been released.

“I have been writing to LG and have asked the secretary. But they don’t listen to me,” Singhvi said.

In response, Rohatgi said, “How am I responsible if they don’t listen to you. The non-release of balance amount which is already passed by the Delhi assembly... how does it concern me. The LG has nothing to do with it.”

Issuing notice to the chief secretary and principal finance secretary, the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said, “It is only a matter of release of ₹1,927 crore. We will find out from the finance secretary on what is to be done. We will hear it on April 5.”

The Delhi government claimed that the release of money was crucial as Delhi would face a major water crisis with the summers approaching.