NEW DELHI: Even as Delhi has been grappling with the situation emerging due to the Yamuna water spilling over and flooding some parts of the city, a war of words broke out between lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and flood and irrigation minister Saurabh Bharadwaj over calling the NDRF and the Army to help in damage control measures.
After inspecting a site near Indraprastha Metro station where a vier was being built to prevent the river water flowing into the city through a drain, Saxena was talking to reporters when Bharadwaj said the situation would have been better had the team of National Disaster Management Force reached a night before. He added that his requests for the same on Thursday night were ignored by the Delhi government officials.
Saxena, however, responded that it was not the right time to point fingers and blame each other.
"I would like to tell you that this is not the time to resort to a blame game or point fingers at each other. Right now, we need to work as a team. I, too, can say a lot of things but this isn't what we should do at this time," Saxena said.
CM Arvind Kejriwal, revenue minister Atishi and chief secretary Naresh Kumar were also present at the site.
Ever since an ordinance promulgated by the Centre overturned a Supreme Court's judgment giving the control over services to the elected dispensation, the AAP government has been complaining that the officers have stopped listening to them.
Meanwhile, the level of the Yamuna at the old railway bridge came down to 208.25 metres at 3pm after touching a record breaking high of 208.66 metres at 6pm on Thursday. Officials said the release of water in the Yamuna from the Hathnikund Barrage had reduced to nearly 50,000 cusecs and the level at the old railway bridge was expected to fall down further to 208.05 metres by 11pm Friday.
